Frontispii 


Bridled  Weasel,  Putorius  frenatus. 

Valley  of  Mexico. 


Black-footed  Ferret,  Putorius  mgripes. 

Western    Kansas. 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT   OF  AGRICULTURE 

DIVISION  OF  ORNITHOLOGY  AND  MAMMALOGY 


NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA 


]STo. 


[Actual  date  of  publication  June  30,  1896] 


:^ 


SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  WEASELS  OF  NORTH  AMERICA 

C.  HART    MERRIAM 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING    OFFICE 
189G 


no.  1 1 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

Wa-thingtoiij  I).  C.,  May  0,  1896. 

SIR:  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  for  publication,  as  No. 
11  of  North  American  Fauna,  a  Synopsis  of  the  Weasels  of  North 
America. 

Bespeetfully,  C.  HART  MERRIAM, 

Chief  of  Division  of  Ornithology  and  Mammalogy. 
Dr.  CHAS.  W.  DABNEY,  Jr., 

Acting  Secretary  of  Agriculture. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

Introduction 5-7 

.Subjxen us  Putorius  (the  ferrets) 7-9 

Subgeuus  Ictis  (the  weasels) 9 

List  of  North  American  weasels -. 10 

Descriptions  of  species f 10-32 

Table  of  cranial  measurements 33 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

(All  natural  size.) 


PLATES. 

Frontispiece.     Heads  of  Black-footed  Ferret  and  Bridled  Weasel. 

1.  Skulls  of  Putoriitx  nigripes  and  /'.  putorius. 

2.  Skulls  of  Putorius  arcticus,  alascensis,  cicognani,  streatori,  and  risosus. 

3.  Skulls  of  Putorius  frcnatus,  longicauda,  and  tropicalis. 

4.  Skulls  of  Putorius  noveboracensis,  washingtoni,  and  peninxuln  . 

5.  Skulls  of  Putorius  longicauda,   cicognani,   noveboracensis,   rixosus,  ptninyulir,  and 

arcticus. 

TEXT  FIGUKES. 

1.  Putorius  nigripes,  $  old.     Trego  County,  Kaus. 
2,3.  Putorius  cicognani,  $  ad.     Elk  Itiver,  Minnesota. 
4-6.  Putorius  noveboracensis,  <$  ad.     Adiroudacks,  New  York. 
7-9.  Putorius  longicauda,  $  ad.     Fort  Sisseton,  S.  Dakota. 
10, 11.  Putorius  longicauda  upadix,  9.     Elk  River,  Minnesota. 
12-14.  Putorius  arlzoncnsis,  $  ad.     Boulder  County,  Colo. 

15.  Putorius  frenatus,  9  ad.     Cofre  de  Perote,  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico. 

16.  Putorius  tropicalis,  9  ad.     Jico,  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico. 

4 


No,  11,  NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA,          June,  1896. 


SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  WEASELS  OF  NORTH  AMERICA, 

By  C.  HART  MERRIAM. 

The  present  synopsis  includes  the  one  ferret  and  all  of  the  weasels 
yet  discovered  in  North  America  north  of  Panama.  Of  the  true  weasels 
(subgenus  Ictis  )  no  less  than  22  species  and  subspecies  are  here  recog- 
nized, 11  of  which  are  described  for  the  first  time. 

Until  very  recently  the  group  has  been  in  a  state  of  chaos,  but  now,, 
thanks  to  Outram  Bangs's  excellent  paper  entitled  <A  review  of  the 
weasels  of  eastern  North  America,'1  the  obscurity  that  lias  so  long 
surrounded  our  eastern  species  has  been  cleared  away  and  the  task  of 
revising  the  whole  group  is  rendered  comparatively  easy.  Additional 
material  is  needed  from  certain  parts  of  the  West,  particularly  from 
southeastern  Alaska  and  the  middle  and  northern  parts  of  the  Great 
Basin,  and  much  remains  to  be  learned  respecting  the  extent  to  which 
jtntergradation  exists  between  allied  forms  having  contiguous  ranges. 

Excepting  the  circurnpolar  type,  represented  in  America  by  the  weasel 
of  the  barren  grounds  (Putorius  arcticus  nob.),  and  in  Eurasia  by  the 
closely  related  P.  erminea,  the  weasels  of  North  America  fall  naturally 
into  two  groups,  characterized  by  important  cranial  differences,  and 
having  complementary  geographic  ranges.  The  first  is  a  boreal  group 
comprising  five  forms:  richardsoni,  alascensis,  cicoynani,  streatori,  and 
rixosns,  the  southernmost  of  which  (cicognani)  reaches  only  the  northern 
United  States.  The  other  is  an  austral  group  comprising  tliefrenntttn 
and  longicauda  series  and  including  P.  peninsiilcc,  of  Florida.  Of  this 
series  only  a  single  species  (P.  arizonensis)  reaches  the  lowermost  of  the 
boreal  zones,  and  this  only  in  the  mountains. 

Between  these  two  groups  are  two  very  interesting  species,  novebora- 
censis  and  Iropicnliss — the  former  inhabiting  the  eastern  United  States, 
the  latter  the  tropical  belt  of  Mexico.  Mr.  Bangs  has  already  shown 
that  the  female  of  P.  noveboracensis  resembles  P.  cicognani,  while  the 
male  resembles  P.  longicauda.  The  case  of  P.  tropicalis  is  exactly 
parallel,  the  female  resembling  ctcognani,  while  the  male  resembles 
frenatus. 

1  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Washington,  X,  pp.  1-24,  Feb.  25,  1896. 


6  NORTH    AMERICAN    FAUNA. 

Among  mammals  the  female  is  often  less  specialized  tlian  the  male 
and  consequently  bears  more  resemblance  to  the  ancestral  stock,  thus 
giving  a  clew  to  the  line  of  descent  when  this  can  not  be  determined 
from  the  male  alone.  In  the  present  instance  the  females  of  norchora- 
censisunA  tropical  is  have  small,  smoothly  rounded  skulls  without  sagit- 
tal crests  and  with  narrow  audital  bulhe  and  inflated  squamosals,  as 
in  the  cicognani  series,  while  the  males  have  large  angular  skulls  with 
well-developed  sagittal  crests,  relatively  broad  audital  bulla-,  and  flat 
squamosals,  as  in  the  longicauda-frenatus  series.  The  inference  is  that 
the  austral  longicauda-frenatus  series  was  derived  from  the  boreal 
cicognani  stock,  and  that  the  differentiation  took  place  in  the  South. 
P.  noveboracensis  occupies  middle  ground  geographically,  and  may  have 
become  differentiated  from  cicognani  under  existing  conditions  in  the 
area  it  now  inhabits;  but  P.  tropicaMs,  which  inhabits  tropical  Mexico, 
must  either  have  originated  from  the  cicognani  stock  when  the  latter 
was  driven  southward  by  the  cold  of  the  Glacial  epoch,  or  must  have 
accomplished  a  very  remarkable  migration. 

Turning  now  to  the  weasel  of  the  tundras  (P.  arcticus],  the  female  is 
also  found  to  resemble  the  cicognani  type,  indicating — at  least  so  far 
as  the  American  species  go — that  the  whole  group  (subgenus  Ictu-)  has 
sprung  from  an  ancestral  type  related  to  /*.  cicognani. 

Probably  cicognani  itself  is  a  strongly  specialized  type,  although  the 
specialization  took  place  a  long  time  ago  and  seems  to  have  been  in 
the  direction  of  greater  simplicity.  The  tendency  has  been  toward  a 
narrowing  of  the  skull  as  a  whole  and  the  obliteration  of  its  promi- 
nences and  angles.  The  zygomata  have  been  reduced  and  drawn  in 
close  to  the  sides  of  the  cranium,  and  the  brain  case  has  been  nar- 
rowed, elongated,  and  smoothly  rounded  off,  as  if  to  enable  the  head  to 
pass  through  small  openings.  The  body  as  a  whole  has  undergone 
parallel  modification,  presenting  the  extreme  degree  of  slenderuess 
known  among  the  mammalia.  This  type  of  weasel  seems  to  have  been 
developed  for  the  express  purpose  of  preying  upon  field  mice  or  voles, 
its  narrow  skull  and  cylindrical  body  enabling  it  to  enter  and  follow 
their  runways  and  subterranean  galleries.  The  extreme  development 
of  the  type  is  presented  in.  P.  rixosus  and  P.  streatori,  whose  exceed- 
ingly small  size  and  almost  serpentine  form  make  it  possible  for  them 
to  traverse  the  burrows  of  even  the  smaller  mice. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the  geographic  range  of  the  cicognani 
group  is  almost  coincident  with  that  of  the  field  mice  of  the  subgenus 
Microtus.  Farther  south,  where  these  mice  occur  sparingly  or  not  at 
all,  the  cicognani  series  of  weasels  is  replaced  by  the  larger  and  more 
powerful  longicauda-frenatus  series.  Where  the  ranges  of  the  two 
overlap,  as  on  the  northern  plains,  the  large  weasel  (P.  longicaurfa) 
preys  chiefly  on  pocket  gophers  (Thomomys  and  Geomys]  and  ground 
squirrels  (Spermophilm  franldini  and  8. 13-lineatuft),  while  the  smaller 
species  (cicognani  and  rixosus)  prey  chiefly  on  mice. 


JUNK,  1896.]  SYNOPSIS    OF    THE    WEASELS    OF    NORTH   AMERICA.  7 

Similarly  in  the  far  North,  where  the  frozen  tundras  are  inhabited  by 
lemmings  as  well  as  voles,  two  weasels  are  present:  the  tiny,  narrow- 
skulled  rixosus,  which  feeds  mainly  on  mice,  and  the  large,  broad-skulled 
arcticus,  which  feeds  chiefly  on  lemmings  and  rabbits. 

It  seems  clear,  therefore,  that  the  different  types  of  weasels  have  been 
developed  by  adaptation  to  particular  kinds  of  food. 

It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  specimens  of  the  South  American 
weasels  are  not  available  for  study  in  connection  with  the  North  Amer- 
ican species.  The  only  one  I  have  seen  is  P.  affinis  Gray,  which  ranges 
from  Costa  Rica  to  northern  South  America.  While  differing  specif- 
ically from  frenatus  it  clearly  belongs  to  the  same  group. 

Except  in  winter,  weasels  are  usually  so  difficult  to  procure  in  any- 
thing like  satisfactory  series  that  but  few  are  available  from  most  of 
the  localities  represented  in  collections.  As  a  rule,  the  number  is  too 
small  to  afford  reliable  average  measurements;  hence  the  averages  here 
given  are  subject  to  correction. 

The  skull  drawings  in  PI.  I  and  those  in  the  text  (except  figs.  10, 
11,  15,  and  16)  were  made  by  Benjamin  Mortimer.  Those  in  Pis.  II  to 
V,  inclusive,  were  drawn  by  Dr.  James  C.  McConnell  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  author.  About  half  of  the  skulls  shown  in  the  latter 
plates  were  used  by  Mr.  Bangs  in  his  paper  already  referred  to. 

Except  where  the  contrary  is  distinctly  stated,  all  the  measurements 
in  this  paper  were  taken  in  the  flesh  by  the  collector.  It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  add  that  all  measurements  are  in  millimeters. 

Genus  PUTORIUS  Cuvier,  1817. 

Key  to  subgenera  (for  American  forms  only) : 

Size  large,  about  equaling  the  mink  (Lutreola);  facial  bar  black;  legs  and  feet 
abruptly  darker  than  upper  parts subgeuus  Putorius. 

Size  medium  or  small,  never  more  than  half  as  large  as  the  mink  (Lulreola); 
facial  bar  white  or  absent;  legs  and  feet  concolor  with  or  paler  than  upper 
parts subgeuns  Ictia. 

Subgeuus  PUTORIUS  Cuvier,  1817. 

Putorius  Cuvier:  Ri-gne  Animal,  I,  147-149,  1817. 
Cynomyonax  Coues:  Fur-Bearing  Animals,  99,  147-148,  1877. 

PUTORIUS  NIGRIPES  Aud.  &  Bach.  Black-footed  Ferret. 
(PL  I,  figs.  1,  la,  Ib.) 

1851.  Putorius  nigripes  Aud.  &  Bach. :  Quadrupeds  N.  Am.,  Vol.  II,  pp.  297-299,  pi. 

93,  1851. 
1877.  Coues:  Fur-Bearing  Animals,  149-153,  1877. 

Type  locality. — Plains  of  the  Platte  River,  in  Nebraska. 

Geographic  range. — Great  Plains,  from  western  North  Dakota  and 
northern  Montana  to  Texas;  not  known  west  of  eastern  base  of  Rocky 
Mountains. 

Characters. — Size  of  the  mink;  ears  rather  large;  color  buffy,  with  a 


8 


NORTH    AMERICAN    FAUNA. 


[Xo.ll 


dark  area  in  middle  of  back;  fore  and  hind  feet,  end  of  tail,  and  band 
across  tare    including  eyes)  black. 

Color. — Ground  color  pale  yellowish  or  bufl'y  above  and  below, 
clouded  on  top  of  head  (and  sometimes  on  neck  also)  by  dark-tipped 
hairs;  face  crossed  by  a  broad  band  of  sooty  black,  which  includes  the 
eyes;  feet,  lower  part  of  legs,  terminal  third  of  tail,  and  preputial 
region,  sooty  black;  back,  about  midway  between  fore  and  hind  legs, 
marked  by  a  large  patch  of  dark  umber-brown,  which  fades  insensibly 
into  the  buffy  of  surrounding  parts;  muzzle,  lips,  chin,  a  small  spot 
over  each  eye,  a  narrow  band  behind  black  facial  bar.  and  sides  of 
head  to  and  including  ears,  soiled  white;  anterior  margin  of  ear  near 
base  clouded  with  dusky. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  large  and  massive,  very  broad  between 
orbits,  and  deeply  constricted  behind  postorbital  processes,1  which  are 
strongly  developed;  zygomata  strongly  bowed  outward;  audital  bulhe 
obliquely  flattened  on  outer  side;  a  prominent  bead  over  lachrymal 
opening. 

Compared  with  our  American  weasels,  the  skull  of  1'utorins  H  if/ ripen 

may  be  told  at  a  glance 
by  its  great  size,  the 
basilar  length  in  adult 
males  averaging  about 
05  mm.,  and  in  females 
about  02  mm.  Compared 
with  P.  crersmanni  of 
southern  Siberia,  it  may 
be  distinguished  by  the 
greater  postinolar  pro- 
duction of  the  palate, 
and  by  other  minor  cra- 
nial characters.  From 
the  common  polecat  of  Europe  (Putorius  putorius)  it  differs  in  several 
important  characters,  as  may  be  seen  by  reference  to  PI.  I.  In  P.  puto- 
rius  the  postorbital  region  is  very  broad,  the  postmolar  part  of  the 
palate  exceedingly  long,  and  the  anterior  part  of  the  audital  bullse  very 
different. 

Remarl-s. — The  black-footed  ferret  bears  no  resemblance  whatever  to 
any  other  American  mammal,  but  is  very  closely  related  to  the  Sibe- 
rian Putorius  erersmanni.  It  differs  from  the  latter  in  having  much 
shorter  and  coarser  fur,  larger  ears,  and  longer  postmolar  extension 
of  the  palate. 

In  some  specimens  of  Putorius  nigripes  the  pale  buffy  of  the  under 
parts  is  clouded  across  the  breast  between  the  fore  legs,  suggesting  the 
dark  breast  of  P.  erersmanni.  The  dark  facial  mask  encircles  the  eyes 

'This  constriction  deepens  with  age,  as  in  all  the  weasels.  It  is  very  deep  iu  the 
skull  shown  in  the  accompanying  text  figure  (fig.  1),  which  is  that  of  an  old  indi- 
vidual; much  less  deep  in  the  younger  specimen  shown  on  PI.  I,  lig.  1. 


FIG.  l—l'utf,rius  nigripes  <f  ad.    Trego  County,  Kans. 


JUNE,  1896.]  SYNOPSIS    OF    THE    WEASELS    OF    NORTH    AMERICA.  9 

(including  the  whitish  supraorbital  spot)  and  dips  slightly  forward 
before  passing  transversely  across  the  face,  so  that  its  posterior  border 
is  in  front  of  the  plane  of  the  outer  angles  of  the  eyes.  Its  anterior 
border  sometimes  extends  forward  almost  to  the  nasal  pad,  but  this  is 
unusual.  The  black  of  the  feet  reaches  up  and  covers  the  fore  leg  to 
the  elbow,  except  along  the  outer  side,  and  the  hind  leg  to  near  the 
knee,  except  posteriorly. 

Measurements.* — Average  of  3  males:  Total  length,  570;  tail  verte- 
bra, 133;  hind  foot,  60.  Average  of  2  females:  Total  length,  500;  tail 
vertebrae,  120;  hind  foot,  55. 

Cranial  measurement*. — Average  of  4  skulls  of  adult  males:  Basal 
length,  04;  basilar  length  of  Hensel,C2.5;  zygomatic  breadth,  43;  mas- 
toid  breadth,  37;  breadth  across  postorbital  processes,  22.5;  interor 
bital  breadth,  18;  breadth  of  constriction,  12.5;  palatal  length,  33; 
postpalatal  length,  31.5.  Average  of  2  skulls  of  adult  females: 
Basal  length,  60.5;  basilar  length  of  Hensel,  58.5;  zygomatic  breadth, 
39;  inastoid  breadth,  34.5;  breadth  across  postorbital  processes,  20; 
iuterorbital  breadth,  16.5;  breadth  of  constriction,  12;  palatal  length, 
31;  postpalatal  length,  20. 

Subgenus  ICTIS  Kaup,  1829. 

Ictis  Kanp:  Entwickelnngs-Geschichte  und  Naturliches  System  der  Europaischen 

Thierwelt,  pp.  40-41,  1829.     (Contains  only  a  single  species,   Muslela  rulyarin.') 

Schulze:  Fannie  Saxonicse,  Mammalia,  p.  170,  1893. 
Arctogale  Kaup:  Entwickeluugs-Geschichte  nnd  Naturliches  System  der  Enropiii- 

sclien  Thierwelt,  p.  30,  1829.     (Contains  two  species,  erminea  and  boccamela.) 
Gale  Wagner:  Supplement  Schreber's  Siiugthiere,  II,  p.  234,  1841.     (Contains  four 

species,  frenatus,  ermivea,  boccamela,  and  vulgaris.) 

The  names  Ictis  and  Arctogale  were  proposed  simultaneously  in  the 
same  publication.  Each  is  accompanied  by  a  diagnosis  and  included  spe- 
cies. The  two  names,  therefore,  according  to  Canon  18  of  the  A.  O.  U. 
Code  of  Nomenclature,  are  equally  pertinent.  In  sequence  of  pagina- 
tion Arctogale  comes  10  pages  ahead  of  Ictis.  Ictis  contains  a  single 
species  (vulgaris  =  niralis  Linn.),  while  Arctogale  has  two  (erminea 
and  loccamela).  The  reasons  for  choosing  Ictis  instead  of  A rctogale  are : 

(1)  The  type  of  let-is  is  fixed  beforehand,  since  it  contained  only  a  single 
species,  while  in  Arctogale  the  type  must  be  established  arbitrarily; 

(2)  Arctogale  is  now  in  current  use  for  another  genus  of  small  carniv- 
ora;2  to  transfer  it  to  a  diiferent  group  would  lead  to  much  confusion, 
and  would  be  a  great  and  seemingly  unnecessary  calamity.    Hence, 
since  there  is  no  rule  to  the  contrary,  the  better  course  seems  to  be  to 
adopt  Ictis  and  allow  Arctogale  to  fall  into  synonymy. 

1  The  number  of  specimens  of  which  reliable  flesh  measurements  are  available  is 
too  small  to  afford  satisfactory  averages. 

*ArctogaU  Peters,  1864,  a  gemi.s  of  Viverridsr ;  Gray,  Proc.  Zool.  Soc.  London,  1864, 
pp.  508,  542-543;  Blanford,  Fauna  British  India,  Mammalia,  p.  114, 1888;  Flo\v»-r  and 
Lydekker,  Introduction  to  Study  of  Mammals,  p.  533,  1891;  Lydi-kk.-r,  Royal  Nat. 
Hist.,  I,  p.  461, 1893-94. 


10  NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA.  [No.  11. 

Furthermore,  Ictls  has  been  already  revived  by  Schulze  (Faume 
Saxonicfe,  Mammalia,  170,  1893),  though  used  by  him  in  a  much  more 
comprehensive  sense  than  that  originally  intended.1 

List  of  North  American  Weasels  with  type  localities. 


No. 


Type  locality. 


Northeastern  North  America  (north  of  lat.  41°) 

Fort  Franklin,  Great  Bear  Lake. 

Juneau,  Alaska. 

Skagit  Valley,  Washington. 


*  cicognani 

cicognani  richardsoni 

riehardsoni  alaseensis 

streatori 

rixosus Osier,  Saskatchewan. 

arcticut Point  Barrow,  Alaska. 

arcticuf  kadiaeensis Kadiak  Island,  Alaska. 

noveboracensis State  of  New  York. 

washingtoni Trout  Lake,  Mount  Adam?,  Washington. 

peninsulce '  Tarpon  Springs,  Florida. 

longicauda \  Carl  ton  House,  Saskatchewan . 

longieauda  spadix I  Fort  Snelling,  Minn. 

saturatus Siskiyou  Mountains,  Oregon. 

arizonensis Flagstaff,  Arizona. 

alleni I  Black  Hills.  South  Dakota. 

xanthogenys '  Southern  California. 

xanthogenys  oregonensis ;  Rogue  River  Valley,  Oregon . 

frenatus j  Valley  of  Mexico. 

frenatus  goldmani |  Pinabete,  Chiapas,  Mexico. 

frenatus  leucoparia '  Patzcnaro,  Michoacan,  Mexico. 

tropiealis  Jico,  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico. 

ajfinis , ;  Colombia,  South  America. 


PUTORIUS  CICOGNANI  Bonap.     Bonaparte's  Weasel. 
(PI.  II,  figs.  3,  3a,  4,  4a.) 

1829.  Mustela  (Putorius)  vulgaris  Richardson:  Fauna  Boreali-Americana,  Mammalia, 
pp.  45-46,  1829. 

1838.  Mustela  cicognanii  Bonaparte :  Iconografia  Fauna  Italica,  I,  fasc.  XXII,  p.  4, 

1838;  Charlesworth'8  Mag.  Nat.  Hist.,  II,  p.  37,  Jan.,  1838. 

1839.  Putorius  cicognanii  Richardson  :  Zoology  Beechey's  Voyage,  p.  10*,  1839. 
1857.       Baird :  Mammals  North  America,  pp.  161-163,  1857. 

1891.      Mearns:  Bull.  Am.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist.,  N.  Y.,  Ill,  p.  235,  May,  1891. 

1896.  Putorius  richardsoni  cicoynani  Bangs :  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.Wash.,  X,  pp.  18-21,  Feb.  25, 

1896. 
1877.  Putorius  vulgaris  Coues:  Fur- Bearing  Animals,  pp.   102-109,  1877.     Merriam: 

Mammals  Adirondacks,  pp.  54-56,  1882  (habits) ;  and  most  recent  authors. 

Type  locality. — Northeastern  North  America. 

Geographic  distribution. — Boreal  forest  covered  parts  of  North  Amer- 
ica from  New  England  and  Labrador  to  coast  of  southeastern  Alaska 
(Juneau,  Wrangel,  and  Loriug),  and  south  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  to 
Colorado  (Silverton).  It  occurs  in  the  interior  of  British  Columbia  (at 
Sicamous),  but  in  the  Puget  Sound  region  is  replaced  by  a  smaller  and 


1  Schulze  included  in  Ictls  the  two  European  weasels,   nilgaris  and  erminea,  and 
also  the  mink,  lutreola,  and  polecat,  putoria. 


JUNE,  1896.]  SYNOPSIS    OF    THE   WEASELS    OF    NORTH    AMERICA. 


11 


darker  form,  P.  fijrentori.  In  the  United  States  it  is  common  in  New 
England  and  New  York,  and  in  the  forest-covered  parts  of  Minnesota. 
It  probably  occurs  also  in  northern  Michigan  and  Wisconsin. 

General  characters. — Size  small;  tail  slender  and  rather  short;  color 
of  under  parts  covering  toes  and  inner  sides  of  both  fore  and  hind  feet; 
color  of  upper  parts  never  encroaching  on  belly,  but  ending  along  a 
straight  line. 

Color. — Upper  parts  in  summer  pelage :  uniform  dark  brown,  hardly 
darker  on  head;  end  of  tail  blackish ;  no  dark  spot  behind  corners  of 
mouth;  under  parts,  usually  including  upper  lip,  white,  more  or  less 
tinged  with  yellow.  In  ic inter  pelage:  pure  white  with  a  strong  yellow- 
ish tinge  on  rump,  tail,  and  under  parts;  end  of  tail  black. 

Cranial  cliaraclcrx. — Skull  small,  light,  narrow,  and  elongated  with- 
out marked  postorbital  processes,  and  only  a  slight  postorbital  constric- 
tion; xygomata  narrow,  and  not  bowed  outward ;  brain  case  elongate 
and  snbcylindric;  audital  bulhe  small,  narrow,  and  subcylindric,  almost 
continuous  anteriorly  (except  in  old  age) 
with  the  greatly  inflated  squamosals; 
palate  narrow;  the  tooth  rows  more 
nearly  parallel  than  in  the  other  spe- 
cies; skull  of  female  similar  to  that' 
of  male,  but  smaller.  Contrasted  with 
richardxoiti.  the  skull  of  cicognani  is 
smaller,  the  audital  bulla;  decidedly 
smaller,  and  the  dentition  lighter.  In 
nearly  every  series  of  cicognani  there  are 
one  or  two  old  males  whose  skulls  arc 
abnormally  large  and  closely  resemble 
skulls  of  riehardsoni,  except  that  the 
audital  bulla-  are  always  smaller. 

Measurements. — Average  of  5  males  from  Ossipee,  N.  H. :  Total 
length,  278;  tail  vertebra1,  80;  hind  foot,  3G.5.  Average  of  3  females: 
Total  length,  230;  tail  vertebrae,  69 ;  hind  foot,  30.5. 

PUTORIUS  CICOGNANI  RICHARDSONI  (Bonap.).     Richardson's  Weasel. 

1820.  Mnstela  (Puior'ms)  crminea  Richardson:  Fauna  Boreali-Americana,  pp.  46-47, 
1829.  (In  part:  specimen  from  Fort  Franklin,  Great  Bear  Lake.  Not  M. 
crminea  Linn.) 

1838.  Mmlela  richanlsoni  Bonap. :  Charlesworth's  Mag.  Nat.  Hist.,  Vol.  XI,  p.   38, 

1838.     (based  on  Richardson's  specimen  from  Great  Bear  Lake). 

1839.  I'nloriiiHrichardsoni'Ricli.:  Zool.  Beechey's  Voyage  of  Blossom,  Mammalia,  10% 

1839. 
1896.       Bangs:  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Waskn.,  X,  pp.  1-24,  Feb.  25,  1896.     (In  part.) 

Type  locality. — Fort  Franklin,  Great  Bear  Lake. 

Geographic  distribution. — Ilndsoniau  timber  belt  from  Hudson  Bay 
to  interior  of  Alaska  and  British  Columbia. 

General  character*.— Similar  to  P.  cicognani  but  larger;  tail  of 
medium  length,  its  terminal  third 'black. 


FIGS.  2  and  3.— P.  cicognani  tf  ad.  Elk 
River,  Minnesota. 


12  NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA. 

Color. — Upper  parts  dull  chocolate  brown,  this  color  reaching  down 
on  both  fore  and  hind  feet  to  base  of  toes:  underparts  whitish,  more 
or  less  suffused  with  yellowish,  the  pale  color  extending  out  in  a  very 
narrow  aud  sometimes  interrupted  strip  along  inner  side  of  hind  feet 
to  toes;  tail  concolor  all  around  except  at  tip,  which  is  black  for  about 
one-third  the  total  length  of  tail.  In  irinler  pelage:  white  all  over 
except  terminal  third  of  tail,  which  is  black;  rump  and  belly  more  or 
less  tinged  with  yellowish. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  long,  narrow,  and  subcylindric  like  that  of 
cicognani,  from  which  it  differs  chiefly  in  larger  size,  larger  audital 
bulhe,  and  heavier  dentition. 

Remarks. — P.  richardsoni,  as  pointed  out  by  Mr.Bangs.  is  simply  a  more 
northern  form  of  cicognani,  with  which  it  intergrades  completely.  It 
inhabits  the  Hudsonian  timber  zone  while  cicoginini  inhabits  the  Cana- 
dian. On  the  north,  where  the  timber  ends  and  the  tundra  begins,  the 
range  of  richardsoni  meets  that  of  arcticus.  The  two  species  differ 
widely  in  both  cranial  and  external  characters.  The  light  subcylindric 
skulls  of  richardsoni,  with  the  narrow  frontals  and  appressed  zygomata, 
require  no  comparison  with  the  broad  massive  skulls  of  arclints  with 
their  broadly  flattened  frontals  and  widely  spreading  zygomata.  The 
external  differences  are  almost  as  marked.  In  richardsoni  the  under- 
parts  are  nearly  white  or,  at  most,  only  tinged  with  pale  yellowish;  the 
color  of  the  upper  parts  covers  both  fore  and  hind  feet,  reaching  the 
base  of  the  toes;  the  tail  is  relatively  long,  concolor  except  at  the  tip, 
which  is  black  for  about  one-third  its  length.  In  arcHcus  the  under 
parts  are  deep  yellow;  the  color  of  the  upper  parts  stops  short  of  the 
fore  feet  and  reaches  only  halfway  down  the  hind  feet;  the  tail  is  short, 
yellow  below  on  its  basal  half,  and  has  a  long, black  pencil  covering  at 
least  half  its  entire  length.1 

Measurement*. — (From  dry  skin  of  male  from  Fort  Simpson):  Total 
length,  300;  tail  vertebra',  05;  hind  foot,  43  (probably  45). 

PUTORIUS  RICHARDSONI  ALA8CENSIS  subsp.  nov.     .Tuneaii  Weasel. 
(PI.  II,  Jigs.  2.  2a.) 

Type  from  Jnnean,  Alaska.     No.  74423,    $   ad.,  U.  S.  National  Museum,  Dept.  Agrir. 
coll.     Collected  August  22,  1895,  by  Clark  P.  Streator.     Original  number  4806. 

General  characters. — Similar  in  size  and  general  appearance  to  P. 
richardsoni,  but  white  tips  of  fore  aud  hind  feet  more  extensive  and 
interorbital  region  very  much  broader. 

Color. — Upper  parts  dull  chocolate  brown,  this  color  reaching  down 
on  fore  legs  to  wrists  and  on  hind  legs  to  middle  of  upper  side  of  feet; 


'It  is  not  strange  that  Mr.  Bangs  failed  to  discriminate  between  ardicun  and 
richardsoni.  The  available  material  is  scanty  and  mostly  of  poor  quality,  and  most 
of  the  skins  had  the  skulls  inside.  Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  F.  W.  True,  cura- 
tor of  mammals  in  the  United  States  National  Museum,  the  skulls  have  been  removed 
and  placed  at  my  disposal. 


JUNE,  1896.]  SYNOPSIS    OF    THE    WEASELS    OF    NORTH   AMERICA.  13 

terminal  third  of  tail  black;  under  parts,  including  upper  lip,  fore  feet, 
and  distal  half  of  hind  feet,  soiled  white,  tinned  with  yellowish.  Winter 
pelage  probably  white. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  similar  to  that  of  P.  richardsoni,  but  very 
much  broader  between  orbits  and  across  muzzle;  postorbital  processes 
more  strongly  developed;  constriction  deeper. 

Remarks. — Mr.  Streator  obtained  two  males  of  this  new  weasel  at 
Juneau  in  the  latter  part  of  August.  He  obtained  also,  at  the  same  place 
and  time,  three  females,  which  in  color  and  markings  agree  with  the 
males,  but  are  hardly  half  as  large.  Their  skulls  are  as  small  as  those 
of  true  cicognani,  which  they  closely  resemble.  If  they  are  the  females 
of  alascensis,  as  seems  probable,  then  this  weasel  exhibits  as  great 
sexual  difference  in  size  as  P.  noveloracensis,  in  which  respect  it  stands 
unique  as  a  member  of  the  cicognani  group.  The  only  alternate  possi- 
bility is  that  cicognani  and  alascensis  occur  together  at  Juneau,  and  that 
of  the  5  specimens  collected  there  by  Streator  the  2  males  are  alascensis 
'and  the  3  females  cicognani. 

Measurements. — Average  of  two  males  from  Juueau,  Alaska:  Total 
length,  335;  tail  vertebrae,  95;  hind  foot,  48.  Average  of  three  females 
from  same  place:  Total  length,  270;  tail  vertebrae,  77;  hind  foot,  34. 

PUTORIUS  STREATORI  sp.  nov.     Puget  Sound  Weasel. 

(PL  II,  figs.  5,  5«,  6,  60.) 

Type  from  Mount  Vernon,  Skagit  Valley,  Washington.     No.  76646,  $  ad.,  U.  S.  Nat. 
Mus.,  Dept.  Agric.  coll.    Coll.  Feb.  29, 1896,  by  D.  R.  Luckey.     (Original  number  3  ) 

Geographic  distribution. — Puget  Sound  and  coast  region  of  Washing- 
ton and  Oregon;  south  at  least  to  Yaquina  Bay  (Newport),  Oregon. 
Confined  to  a  narrow  strip  along  the  coast. 

General  characters. — Similar  to  Putorius  cicognani,  but  smaller  and 
darker,  with  color  of  upper  parts  encroaching  on  belly. 

Color. — Upper  parts,  including  upper  lip  ami  fore  and  hind  feet, 
uniform  dark  chocolate  brown,  darkest  on  head,  and  encroaching  far 
on  belly  and  throat  (often  meeting  along  middle  of  belly);  terminal 
third  of  tail  black;  under  parts  narrowly  and  irregularly  white,  faintly 
tinged  with  yellowish.  In  iv  inter  pelage  at  low  altitudes  the  color  of 
the  upper  parts  is  paler  (almost  drab  brown)  and  the  toes  may  become 
white;  at  higher  altitudes  the  whole  animal  changes  to  white,1  except 
the  end  of  the  tail,  which  always  remains  black. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  of  male  similar  to  that  of  male  cicognani, 
but  smaller,  slightly  broader  interorbitally,  and  with  somewhat  more 


'Mr.  R.  E.  Darrell,  of  Port  Moody,  British  Columbia,  writes  me :  "I  have  discovered 
that,  although  the  weasels  do  not  change  color  down  near  salt  water,  they  do  change  to 
the  white  winter  coat  in  the  mountains."  Specimens  in  the  Department  collection 
from  Mount  Adams,  Washington,  killed  in  February  and  March,  are  in  the  white 
winter  pelage.  The  typo  and  a  female  from  the  same  locality  (Mount  Veruou, 
Skagit  Valley)  are  in  the  drab-brown  winter  pelage. 


14  NORTH    AMERICAN    FAUNA.- 

promineiit  postoi'bital  processes  and  smaller  autlital  bulhe.  Skull  of 
female  very  much  smaller  and  more  delicate  than  that  of  male, 
resembling  female  ofcieognani,  but  smaller. 

Remarks. — Putorivs  streatori  is  a  dark  Pacific  Coast  form  of  cicognani, 
with  "which  it  may  be  found  to  intergrade.  It  differs  conspicuously 
from  cicognani  in  the  color  of  the  under  parts,  the  dark  chocolate  brown 
of  the  back  and  sides  encroaching  far  on  the  throat  and  usually  meet- 
ing along  the  median  line  of  the  belly,  thus  reducing  the  white  to  a 
narrow  and  irregular  strip,  which  expands  on  the  anterior  part  of  the 
throat,  on  the  breast  behind  the  fore  legs,  and  immediately  in  front  of 
the  hind  legs,  and  stops  abruptly  on  the  under  surface  of  the  thighs. 

Five  winter  specimens  from  Sumas,  British  Columbia,  kindly  loaned 
by  Mr.  Outram  Bangs,  point  toward  intergradation  with  cicognani.  In 
three  out  of  the  five,  the  toes  of  both  fore  and  hind  feet  are  white,  and 
the  color  of  the  upper  parts  is  much  paler  than  in  summer  pelage. 
Two  of  these  specimens  have  the  bellies  broadly  white,  as  in  cicognani. 
They  are  also  much  larger  than  streatori.  Specimens  from  Sicamous, 
in  the  interior  of  British  Columbia,  are  fairly  typical  cicognani,  having 
the  under  parts  broadly  white;  the  upper  lip,  a  strip  along  the  inner 
border  of  the  hind  feet,  and  the  toes  of  both  fore  and  hind  feet,  white. 
Specimens  from  southeastern  Alaska  (Juneau,  Wraugel,  and  Loring) 
must  also  be  referred  to  cicognani,  and  not  streatori. 

Measurements. — Unfortunately,  no  flesh  measurements  are  available 
from  the  type  locality.  Specimens  from  Trout  Lake,  near  Mount  Adams, 
Washington,  are  slightly  smaller  than  the  Mount  Vernon  specimens, 
and  measure  as  follows:  Average  of  two  adult  males:  Total  length, 
270;  tail  vertebra?,  83;  hind  foot,  33.  An  adult  female:  Total  length, 
210;  tail  vertebra,  51;  hind  foot,  24. 

PUTORIUS  RIXOSUS  Bangs.     Bang's  Weasel. 
(PI.  II,  figs.  7,  7a.) 

1857.  Putorius  pusillus  Baird:  Mammals N.  Am.,  pp.  159-161,  1857.     (In  part:  speci- 
men from  Pembina.) 
1896.  Putorius  rixosus  Bangs:  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Wash.,  Vol.  X,  pp.  21-1'2,  Feb.,  1896. 

Type  locality. — Osier,  Saskatchewan,  Canada. 

Geographic  distribution. — Boreal  America  from  Hudson  Bay  to  coast 
of  Alaska  (St.  Michaels);  south  to  northern  Minnesota  (Pembina)  and 
Montana  (Sun  Eiver). 

General  characters. — Smallest  weasel  known;  tail  short  and  without 
black  tip;  only  American  weasel  lacking  the  black  tip. 

Color. — Summer  pelage:  Upper  parts  dark  reddish  brown;  tip  of  tail 
not  darker ;  under  parts  white.  In  winter  pelage:  Pure  white  all  over, 
including  end  of  tail. 

Cranial  characters.— Skull  (of  type  specimen,  9  ad.,  No.  642  Bangs' 
Coll.1)  very  much  smaller  than  the  smallest  female  of  any  other  known 


1 1  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Bangs  for  the  privilege  of  exam  in  ing  this  specimen.     Unfor- 
tunately, the  basioccipital  is  broken  off;  hence  the  basilar  length  is  estimated. 


JDNE.ISOG.]  SYNOPSIS    OF   THE   WEASELS    OP   NORTH   AMERICA.  15 

species  (total  length  from  occiput  to  front  of  premaxilhio,  28.5;  basal 
length,  26.5;  zygomatic  breadth,  14;  length  of  palate,  11;  interorbital 
breadth,  5.5;  breadth  across  postorbital  processes,  7.5;  length  of  andi- 
tal  bullse,  9.5).  The  skull  is  a  miniature  of  P.  cicognani  except  that  the 
postorbital  processes  are  more  prominent,  the  brain  case  more  com- 
pressed, and  there  is  a  distinct  sagittal  ridge. 

Measurements. — Type  specimen,  female,  measured  in  flesh:  Total 
length,  150;  tail  vertebra^,  31;  hind  foot  in  dry  skins,  20-22. 

PUTORIUS  ARCTICUS  sp.  nov.     Tundra  Weasel. 
(PL  II,  figs.  1,  la;  PL  V,  figs.  6,  60.) 

Type  from  Point  Barrow,  Alaska.     No  $f  flf  J  $  ad.  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.     Collected  July 
16,  1883,  by  John  Murdoch.     Original  number,  1672. 

Geographic  distribution. — Arctic  coast  and  tundras.  Specimens  ex- 
amined from  Anderson  Kiver,  Franklin  Bay,  old  Fort  Good  Hope,  lower 
Mackenzie  Eiver,  Point  Barrow,  and  St.  Michaels. 

General  characters. — Size  large;  ears  small;  tail  short  but  with  very 
long  black  pencil;  underparts  yellow  (including  underside  of  basal  half 
of  tail). 

Color — (Type  specimen,  male  adult.)  Upper  parts,  including  upper 
lip,  dark  yellowish  brown ;  chin  white ;  under  parts  deep  ochraceous  yel- 
low, broadly  including  inner  and  posterior  sides  of  fore  legs,  whole  of 
fore  feet,  distal  half  and  inner  side  of  hind  feet,  and  under  side  of  tail 
to  or  nearly  to  black  tip;  black  tip  very  long,  covering  at  least  half  of 
tail  (including  long  terminal  hairs);  color  of  upper  parts  not  encroach- 
ing on  belly.  In  winter  pelage,  white  all  over  except  long  black  tip  of 
tail;  the  white  tinged  with  yellow  posteriorly. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  rather  large,  broad,  and  massive;  frontal 
very  broad  interorbitally;  muzzle  broad  and  blunt;  postorbital  proc- 
esses moderately  developed;  postorbital  constriction  marked;  zygo- 
mata strongly  bowed  outward;  brain  case  subtriangular  and  rather 
short;  audital  bulhe  subcylindric;  postglenoid  space  smaller  than  in 
richardsoni  and  hardly  inflated  except  in  female.  Contrasted  with 
P.  richardsoni,  the  skull  of  P.  arcticus  is  somewhat  larger,  much  broader, 
and  more  massive;  brain  case  subtriangular  instead  of  subcylindric; 
zygomata  bowed  far  outward  instead  of  appressed;  postorbital  pro- 
cesses more  prominent;  postorbital  constriction  much  deeper;  frontal 
much  broader  iuterorbitally;  palate  broader  posteriorly;  dentition 
heavier.  Adult  male  skulls  of  P.  arcticus  resemble  certain  old  males 
of  ivashingtoni,  but  differ  in  much  greater  breadth  of  frontal  between 
orbits,  broader  muzzle,  and  blunter  postorbital  processes.  P.  arcticus 
resembles  true  erminea  of  Sweden  much  more  closely  than  it  does  any 
American  species. 

Remarks. — Putorius  arcticus,  which  has  been  heretofore  confounded 
with  erminea  or  richardsoni,  is  one  of  the  most  strongly  characterized 
species  of  the  genus.  It  is  a  large  animal  with  deep  ochraceous  yellow 


16  NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA. 

under  parts  and  a  rather  short  tail  which  ends  in  a  remarkably  long 
black  pencil.  The  skull  differs  from  all  other  American  weasels  in  the 
great  breadth  of  the  frontal  region  and  the  breadth  and  bluntuess  of 
the  muzzle,  in  both  of  which  respects  it  resembles  true  erminea.  The 
only  American  species  whose  skull  approaches  it  at  all  is  P.  washlng- 
toni,  as  mentioned  above.  In  external  characters  the  differences  are 
too  great  to  require  comparison. 

It  is  interesting  to  find  in  this  country  an  Arctic  circumpolar  weasel 
which,  though  specifically  distinct,  is  strictly  the  American  representa- 
tive of  the  Old  World  erminea.  The  pattern  of  coloration,  as  described 
above  (under  color),  is  precisely  as  in  erminea,  but  the  tints  differ 
materially.  The  upper  parts  in  erminea  lack  the  golden  brown  of 
arcticus,  and  the  under  parts  are  very  much  paler  and  of  a  different 
tint,  being  pale  sulphur  yellow  instead  of  ochraceous.  Moreover, 
arcticus  lacks  the  whitish  border  to  the  ear  which  is  present  in  erminea. 
In  winter  pelage  the  two  seem  to  be  indistinguishable  except  by  cranial 
characters. 

A  small  form  of  arcticus  occurs  on  Kadiak  Island,  Alaska.  It  has 
smaller  and  narrower  audital  bulhe,  less  spreading  zygomata,  less 
divergent  tooth  rows,  and  decidedly  shorter  postmolar  production  of 
palate.  It  is  probably  worthy  of  recognition  as  subspecies  kadiacensis. 
An  adult  male  (No.  G5290)  collected  April  25,  1894,  by  B.  J.  Brethertou, 
measured  in  the  flesh:  Total  length,  318;  tail  vertebrae,  80;  hind  foot, 
44.  It  is  in  the  white  winter  pelage,  just  beginning  to  change,  and  the 
terminal  half  of  the  tail  is  black. 

Measurements. — From  dry  skin  of  type,  male  adult,  Point  Barrow, 
Alaska:  Total  length,  380;  tail  vertebrae,  75;  pencil,  55;  hind  foot,  48 
(at  least  50  in  the  flesh). 

PUTORIUS  NOVEBORACENSIS  De  Kay.     New  York  Weasel. 

(PI.  IV,  figs.  1,  la,  2,  2a;  PL  V,  tigs.  3,  3a. 
1840.  Putorius  noveboracensisDe  Kay :  Catal.  Mammalia  New  York,  p.  18,  1840  (women 

nudum);  Zoology  of  New  York,  Mammalia,  p.  36,  1842. 
1840.       Emmons:  Rept.  Quadrupeds  Massachusetts,  p.  45,  1S40. 
1857.       Baird :  Mammals  N.  Am.,  pp.  166-169, 1857. 
1896.       Bangs:  Proc.  Biol.  Sor.  Wash.,X,  pp.  13-16,  Feb.  25,  1896. 
1877.  Putorius  (Gale)  erminea  Cones :  Fur- Bearing  Animals,  pp.  109-136  ( in  part),  1877. 
Putorins  erminea  Thompson,  And.  &  Bach,  (part),  Allen,  Merriam,  and  most  recent 
authors. 

Type  locality. — New  York  State. 

Geographic  distribution. — Eastern  United  States  from  southern  Maine 
to  North  Carolina,  and  west  to  Illinois. 

General  characters. — Male  large;  female  small;  tail  long  and  bushy, 
much  longer  than  in  cicognani,  but  shorter  than  in  longicauda;  the 
black  terminal  part  longer  than  in  any  other  species  except  arfi<-HN, 
covering  one-third  to  one-half  the  tail  and  measuring  50  to  75  mm. 
Animal  turns  white  in  winter  in  northern  part  of  range.  Extraordinary 
sexual  difference  in  size  a.nd  cranial  characters. 


JUNE,  1806.]     SYNOPSIS    OF    THE    WEASELS    OF    NORTH    AMERICA. 


17 


Color. — Summer  pelage:  Upper  parts,  including  fore  and  hind  feet 
and  anal  region,  and  often  encroaching  irregularly  on  belly,  rich  dark 
chocolate  brown,  sometimes  suggesting  seal  brown ;  under  parts  (usually 
including  upper  lip)  white,  more  or  less  washed  with  yellowish;  no 
yellow  on  under  side  of  tail  or  on  hind  feet,  the  color  of  under  parts 
stopping  short  of  ankle.  Winter  pelage:  In  southern  part  of  range 
similar  to  summer  pelage,  but  upper  parts  paler,  nearly  drab  brown. 
Northern  specimens  white  all  over  except  terminal  third  of  tail,  which 

is  jet  black;  throat,  belly, posterior 
half  of  back  and  tail  always  suffused 
with  yellowish. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  of  male 
large,  heavy,  and  elongate;  sagittal 
ridge  present  in  adults;  postorbital 
processes  and  constriction  mod- 
erately developed;  zygomata  not 
bowed  outward;  audital  bullw  rather 
narrowly  oval,  usually  rounded  an- 
teriorly as  well  as  posteriorly.  Skull  of  female  very  small,  light,  and 
narrow,  with  brain  case  elongate  and  subcylindric,  much  as  in  cicognani; 
audital  bull*  small,  narrow,  and  not  rising  abruptly  anteriorly  from 
inflated  squamosals,  which  latter  are  elongated  and  strongly  inflated  as 
in  cicognani.  Skulls  of  males  may  be  distinguished  from  those  of  male 
longicanda  by  shorter  postorbital  processes,  less  marked  postorbital 
constriction,  less  triangular  brain  case,  lower  sagittal  ridge,  very  much 
narrower  zygomata,  which  are  not  bowed  outward,  narrower  palate,  and 
narrower  audital  bulhe,  which  are  more  rounded  anteriorly.  The  resem- 
blance to  P.  washingtoni  is  very  much  closer,  bufr  male  skulls  of  novebo- 


1?IG.  4. — Putorius  novebiiracensi,?  c 
dacks,  New  Tork. 


FIGS.  5  aiid  0. — I'uturiut,  north 


Adiroadacks,  Xew  York. 


racensix  may  be  distinguished  by  larger  size  and  much  larger  audital 
bullfe.  The  female  skull,  owing  to  the  inflation  of  its  squamosals 
inferiorly,  needs  no  comparison  with  either  washingtoni  or  longicauda, 
but  is  with  difficulty  separated  from  cicognani  in  regions  where  the  two 
species  overlap.  The  postorbital  processes  are  longer  and  the  car- 
nassial  and  sector ial  teeth  larger  in  the  females  of  novebwacensis  than 
in  cicognani  from  the  same  localities. 

Remarks. — Putorius  noveboracensis  may  usually  be  distinguished  from 
P.  cicognani  by  larger  size  and  also  by  the  longer  and  more  bushy  tail, 
1G932— No.  11 2 


18  NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA. 

and  greater  length  of  the  black  terminal  part.  Females  of  norcbora- 
ccnxix,  however,  sometimes  resemble  males  of  cicognani  rather  closely. 
They  may  be  distinguished  not  only  by  the  greater  length  of  the  tail 
but  also,  if  in  summer  pelage,  by  the  absence  of  yellow  from  the  under 
side  of  the  tail  and  inner  sides  of  the  hind  feet,  which  parts  in  cicoynait  i 
usually  show  more  or  less  yellow. 

Measurements. — Average  of  10  males:  Total  length,  407;  tail  ver- 
tebra-, 140;  hind  foot,  47.  Average  of  10  females:  Total  length,  324; 
tail  vertebra?,  108;  hind  foot,  34.5. 

PUTORIUS  WASHINGTONI  sp.  nov.     Washington  Weasel. 
(Pl.IV,fig8.3,3a,4,4a.) 

Type  from  Trout  Lake,  base  of  Mount  Adams,  State  of  Washington.  No.  7(>M'2,  £ 
ad.,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agriculture  collection.  Collected  December  15,  1895,  by 
D.  N.  Kaegi. 

General  characters. — Similar  to  P.  noveboraccnsis  in  size  and  general 
appearance,  but  with  longer  tail  and  shorter  black  tip.  Female  very 
much  smaller  than  male,  as  in  noveboracensis. 

Color. — Color  in  summer  pelage  unknown  (probably  dark  chocolate 
brown).  There  are  two  winter  pelages,  probably  dependent  on  alti- 
tude. In  drab  winter  pelage:  Upper  parts  uniform  drab  brown;  end 
of  tail  black;  under  parts  white,  more  or  less  suffused  with  pale  yel- 
lowish. The  color  of  the  upper  parts  encroaches  on  the  sides  of  the 
belly  as  in  noveboracensis,  and  a  brown  spot  is  present  behind  the  cor- 
ners of  the  mouth,  which  may  or  may  not  be  confluent  with  the  brown 
of  the  cheeks.  In  the  type  and  two  other  specimens  the  hind  legs  and 
feet  are  the  same  color  as  the  upper  parts  except  that  the  toes  are 
tipped  with  whitish  and  the  tips  of  the  fore  feet  are  white.  In  another 
specimen,  collected  January  22,  the  white  is  more  extensive,  covering 
all  of  the  fore  feet  and  about  half  of  the  hind  feet.  In  summer  pelage 
the  legs  and  feet  are  doubtless  the  same  color  as  the  upper  parts,  the 
white  of  the  belly  stopping  high  up  on  the  thighs.  In  white  winter 
pelage:  "White  all  over  except  black  tip  of  tail;  tail,  rump,  and  belly 
strongly  suffused  with  yellow.  In  one  specimen  (No.  76004,  male, 
February  7,  189G)  the  yellow  reaches  forward  over  the  back  nearly  to 
the  shoulders;  in  another  (No.  76588,  male,  February  4, 1896)  the  whole 
back  is  white. 

Cranial  characters. — The  skulls  of  the  two  sexes  differ  greatly:  that 
of'the  male  resembles  noveboraccnsis  closely  in  size  and  general  char- 
acters, but  differs  in  having  the  audital  bulhe  much  shorter  and  the 
postorbital  processes  less  strongly  developed.  The postorbital  constric- 
tion is  equally  marked.  The  skull  of  the  female  is  very  much  smaller 
than  that  of  the  male,  averaging  about  38  mm.  in  length,  while  the 
male  averages  45  mm.  Contrasted  with  the  female  of  iwveboracemia 
the  brain  case  is  broader  "posteriorly  and  less  cylindric.  The  audital 
bulhc  are  more  sharply  separated  from  the  squamosal  inflation  and  llie 
latter  is  only  slightly  marked,  not  reaching  the  plane  of  the  bulla-.  The 


JUNE,  1896.]     SYNOPSIS    OF    THE   WEASELS    OF   NORTH   AMERICA.  19 

resemblance  therefore  to  P.  cicognani  is  much  less  marked  in  the  female 
u'ashingtoni  than  in  the  female  noveboracensis. 

Remarks. — This  new  species  is  represented  in  the  collection  by  14 
skulls  and  6  skins,  of  which  the  greater  number  are  males.  The  female 
is  darker  than  the  males,  and  the  top  of  the  head  is  darker  anteriorly 
than  the  rest  of  the  upper  parts,  while  in  the  males  it  is  concolor  with 
the  back.  These  differences  are  probably  seasonal,  the  female  not 
having  completed  the  change  from  summer  to  winter  pelage,  though 
collected  December  11.  All  are  from  the  Mount  Adams  region. 

Measurements. — The  skins,  which  are  well  made,  afford  the  following 
approximate  measurements:  Male,  total  length,  240;  tail  vertebne,  155; 
hind  foot,  44.  Female,  total  length,  300;  tail  vertebra;,  120;  hind  foot,  37. 

PUTORIUS   PENINSULA   Rhoads.     Florida  Weasel. 
(PI  .  IV,  figs.  5,  5a;  PI.  V,  fig.  5.) 

l'i< toriun peninsula  Rhoads:  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phila.,  June  1894,  152-155. 
.  Bangs:  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Wash.,  X,  pp.  10-13,  Feb.  25,  1896. 

Type  locality. — 'Hudsous,'  14  miles  north  of  Tarpon  Springs,  Fla. 

Geographic  distribution. — Peninsula  of  Florida;  limits  of  range 
unknown. 

General  characters. — Size  rather  large,  about  equaling  male  of  Puto- 
rins  noveboracensis ;  skull  similar  to  that  of  longicaitda,  but  with  very 
large  audital  bnlla>. 

Color. — Upper  parts  dull  chocolate  brown,  darkest  on  head;  upper 
lip  and  chin  whitish;  rest  of  under  parts,  including  fore  feet  and  toes 
of  hind  feet,  yellowish ;  a  brown  spot  behind  corners  of  mouth;  a  small 
tuft  of  white  hairs  under  anterior  root  of  ear.  The  color  of  the  under 
parts  covers  the  belly  broadly  and  is  not  encroached  upon  by  the  color 
of  the  upper  parts.  Irregular  and  inconstant  white  markings  are  some- 
times present  between  and  behind  the  eyes. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  rather  massive,  resembling  that  of  longi- 
cauda,  but  with  higher  sagittal  crest;  less  spreading  zygomata;  narrower, 
higher,  and  more  swollen  audital  bulhe,  and  less  prominent  postorbital 
processes.  Contrasted  with  P.  noveboracensis  the  postorbital  constric- 
tion is  deeper,  the  brain  case  higher  and  moresubtriangular,  the  audital 
bulhe  higher  and  more  swollen,  the  upper  carnassial  tooth  decidedly 
larger,  and  the  molar  smaller.  The  upper  molar  is  peculiar :  It  is  short, 
hardly  expanded  at  either  end,  and  implanted  at  right  angles  to  the 
premolar  series. 

Measurements. — An  adult  female  from  Tarpon  Springs,  Fla. :  Total 
length,  374;  tail  vertebra?,  127;  hind  foot,  44.5. 

PUTORIUS  LONGICAUDA  Bonaparte.     Long-tailed  Weasel. 
(PI.  Ill,  figs.  3,  3a,  4,  4a;  PI.  V,  figs.  1,  la.) 

1829.  Mustela  (Putoriua)  erminea  Richardson:  Fauna  Boreali-Amerioaua,  pp.  46-47/ 

1829  (in  part:  Specimen  from  Carlton  Hotise). 
1838.  Mustela  longicauda  Bonaparte:    Charlesworth's  Magazine   Nat.   Hist.  N.   S., 

II,  p.  37-38,  1838  (based  on  Richardson's  long-tailed  variety  of  erminea  from 

Carltou  House). 


20 


NORTH    AMERICAN    FAUNA. 


FIG.  7.— Putorhu  Ivngicauda.     Fort  Sisseton, 
S.  Dak. 


1839.  Putorim  longlcauda  Rich. :  Zool.  Beechey's  Voyage  of  Blossom,  p.  10/  18'<f>. 

1857.       Baird:  Mammals  N.  Am., 'pp.  169-171,  1857. 

1877.       Cones:  Fur-Unarm-;  Animals,  pp.  136-142,  1S77. 

1896.       Bangs:  Proc.  Kiel.  Soc.  Wash.,  X,  pp.  7-8,  Feb.  25,  1896. 

Type    locality. — Carlton    House,    on    North    Saskatchewan    River, 
Canada. 

Geographic  distribution. — Great  Plains  from  Kansas  northward. 
General  characters. — Size  large  (adult  males  averaging  about  450  mm. 

in  total  length);  tail  very  long  (ver- 
tebra' 155  mm.  or  more  in  males), 
its  black  tip  rather  short;  under 
parts  always  strongly  yellowish  or 
ocfaraceous. 

Color. —  Upper  parts  pale  yel- 
lowish brown,  or  pale  raw-umber 
brown,  becoming  darker  on  head; 
terminal  part  of  tail  black;  chin 
and  upper  lip  all  the  way  round 
white;  rest  of  under  parts  varying 
from  strong  buify  yellow  to  ochraceous  orange,  the  color  extending  from 
throat  posteriorly,  including  upper  side  of  fore  feet,  inner  side  of  hind 
feet,  and  upper  side  of  hind  toes ;  under  side  of  tail  more  or  less  suffused 
with  yellowish;  soles  of  hind  feet  brownish.  In  worn  summer  pelage 
the  color  of  upper  parts  is  decidedly  paler,  and  in  some  old  specimens 
the  upper  and  lower  surfaces  are  not  sharply  differentiated.  The 
orange  tinge  of  the  under 
parts  is  strongest  on  the 
throat. 

Cranial  characters. — 
Skull  large,  broad,  and 
massive,  with  well-devel- 
oped postorbital  proc- 
esses, strongly  marked 
postorbital  constriction , 
and  a  moderate  sagittal 
crest;  zygomata  bowed 
strongly  outward;  brain 
case  subtriangular  as  seen 
from  above;  audital  bullre 
rather  broad  and  subrect- 
angular;  palate  broad; 
dentition  heavy;  audital  bulla?  anteriorly  rising  abruptly  from  squa- 
mosal,  which  is  not  inflated  in  either  sex;  skull  of  female  similar  to 
male,  but  smaller,  and  with  only  a  slight  sagittal  ridge.  Contrasted 
with  male  skulls  of  noveboraccnsis  and  trash  inyloni,  the  male  of  lonyi- 
cauda  is  broader  and  relatively  shorter,  with  more  spreading  zygoinatic 
arches,  longer  postorbital  processes,  deeper  postorbital  constriction, 


FIGS.  8  and  9. — P.  longicauda  tf  ad.     Fort  Sisseton.  S.  Dak. 


JUNE,  1896]     SYNOPSIS    OF    THE    WEASELS    OP    NORTH    AMERICA. 


21 


and  much  broader  and  more  rectangular  andital  bulla>,  which  as  a  rule 
are  broadly  truncate  instead  of  narrowly  rounded  anteriorly. 

Measurements. — Average  of  4  males  from  plains  of  Saskatchewan  and 
Alberta :  Total  length,  450 ;  tail  vertebra^,  1 65 ;  hind  foot,  51.  Average 
of  3  females:  Total  length,  387;  tail  vertebrae,  144;  hind  foot,  44. 

PUTORIUS  LONGICAUDA  SPADIX  Bangs. 
I'utorluH  loiif/icauda  xpailir  Banjfs:    I'roc.  I'iol.   Hoc.  Wash.,  X,  pp.  8-9,  Feb.  25,  1896. 

Type  locality. — Fort  Snelling,  near  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Geographic  distribution. — Edge  of  timber  belt  in  Minnesota,  along 
boundary  between  Transition  and  Boreal  zones. 

General  characters. — Similar  to  P.  longicauda,  but  much  darker. 

Color. — Summer  pelage :  Upper  parts  chocolate  brown,  darkest  on  the 
head,  but  paler  than  in  nove- 
boracertvis;  chin  and  upper  lip 
whitish  all  round;  restof  under 
parts,  including  upper  surfaces 
of  fore  feet  and  toes  of  hind 
feet,  buflfy  yellow ;  terminal  part 
of  tail  black.  Winter  pelage: 
Snow-white  everywhere  except 
black  tip  of  tail  and  a  yellow- 
ish suffusion  on  rest  of  tail,  and 
sometimes  also  on  under  side  of 
hind  feet. 

Cranial  characters. — As  in  P. 
longicauda. 

Measurements.1 — Average  of  G 
males  from  Fort  Snelling,  Minn. :  Total  length,  460;  tail  vertebrae,  1G6.5; 
hind  foot,  54.5.  Average  of  3  females:  Total  length,  35G;  tail  verte 
bra?,  132;  hind  foot,  43.5. 

PUTORIUS  SATURATUS  sp.  uov.     Cascade  Mountain  Weasel. 

Type  from  Siskiyou,  near  southern  boundary  of  Oregon  (altitude,  about  4,000  feet). 
No.  65930,  3  ad.,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Department  of  Agriculture  collection.  Collected 
June  6,  1894,  by  Clark  P.  Streator.  Orig.  No.  3905. 

General  characters. — Similar  to  P.  arizonensis,  but  larger  and  darker, 
with  belly  more  ochraceous,  and  with  distinct  spots  behind  the  corners 
of  the  mouth. 

Color. — Color  of  upper  parts  in  summer  pelage  (June)  dark  raw- 
umber  brown,  becoming  much  darker  on  the  top  of  the  head  and  nose; 
terminal  part  of  tail  black;  a  brown  spot  at  corner  of  mouth  which 
may  be  confluent  with  brown  of  cheeks ;  color  of  upper  parts  extending 
over  outer  side  of  forearm  to  wrist,  and  over  hind  foot  to  toes;  chin 


FIGS.  10  uiid  ll.-Putorius  1.  epailix  ?  ad.    Elk  liiver, 
Minnesota. 


'These  measurements  were  taken  in  the  ilesh  by  Dr.  E.  A.  Mearus,  to  whom  I  am 
indebted  for  them. 


22  NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA.  fNo.il. 

white;  rest  of  under  parts  oehraceous  or  orange  yellow,  including  the 
forefeet,  and  reaching  narrowly  down  the  under  side  of  hiud  leg  to 
ankle,  whence  it  may  or  may  not  extend  in  a  narrow  line  along  inner 
side  of  foot  to  toes;  under  side  of  tail  more  or  less  suffused  with  golden 
chestnut;  anal  region  chestnut  brown;  in  worn  pelage  the  colors  are 
everywhere  much  paler. 

Cranial  characters.  —  Skull  similar  to  that  of  P.  arizonensis  but  with 
postorbital  processes  broader  at  base  and  less  peg  like. 

Remarks.  —  This  handsome  Aveasel  replaces  longicauda  on  the  Cascade 
and  Siskiyou  mountains  of  Oregon  and  Washington,  reaching  a  short 
distance  into  British  Columbia.  The  only  specimens  examined  have 
come  from  Siskiyou,  Oregon,  and  Chilli  wack,  British  Columbia  (the 
latter,  No.  3553,  collection  of  E.  A.  and  O.  Bangs). 

Measurements.  —  Average  of  2  males  from  Siskiyou  Mountains,  Ore- 
gon: Total  length,  423;  tail  vertebrae,  164;  hind  foot,  48. 

PUTOBIUS  ARIZONENSIS  Mearns.     Mountain  Weasel. 

Putorius  arlzoncnsls  Mearns  :  Bull.  American  Museum  Nat.  Hist.,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  2,  pp. 

234-235,  May,  1891. 
Putorius  longicauda  Merriam  :  Mammals  of  Idaho,  N.  Am.  Fauna,  No.  5,  pp.  83-84,  Aug. 

1891  (from  mountains  of  Idaho). 

Type  locality.  —  San  Francisco  forest,  Arizona  (a  few  miles  south  of 
Flagstaff). 

Oeoaraphic  distribution.  —  Broadly,  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Eocky 
Mountain  systems,  reaching  British 
Columbia  in  the  Kocky  Mountain  re- 
gion, but  not  known  north  of  the  Sis- 
kiyou Mountains  in  the  Sierra-Cascade 
system. 

General  characters.  —  Similar  to  Puto- 
rius longicauda  in  color  and  markings, 

FIG.  12.-P.  arizonensis  rf  ad,    Boulder        ^ut  n^h  smaller  in  size. 


County,  Colo. 

Color.  —  Upper  parts  from  occiput  to 

black  tip  of  tail,  raw  umber  brown;  head  decidedly  darker;  end  of  tail 
black;  chin  and  upper  lip  all  round  white;  rest  of  under  parts  includ- 
ing upper  surfaces  of  fore  feet  and  inner  half  of  hind  feet  and  upper 
surfaces  of  hind  toes  oehraceous  or  oehraceous  yellow,  varying  in  tint. 

Cranial  characters.  —  Skull  similar  to  that  of  longicauda  but  decidedly 
smaller  and  less  triangular;  narrower  across  inastoids  and  more  bulg- 
ing in  parietals. 

Remarks.  —  Putorius  arizonensis  is  a  mountain  form  of  longicauda, 
which  it  closely  resembles  except  in  size.  The  type  specimen,  collected 
by  Dr.  Mearns  on  the  pine  plateau  of  Arizona  a  few  miles  south  of 
Flagstaff,  is  an  immature  female  and  is  of  unusually  small  size.  A 
male  obtained  by  him  near  the  same  place  is  of  the  normal  size,  as  is 
another  male  in  the  Department  collection  from  Springerville,  Ariz., 


JUNE,  1896.]    SYNOPSIS    OF   THE   WEASELS    OF    NORTH    AMERICA. 


23 


collected  by  E.  AV.  Nelson.  Specimens  from  the  northern  Rocky 
Mountain  region  (St.  Mary  Lake,  Montana,  and  Salmon  River  and 
1'ahsimeroi  Mountains,  Idaho)  differ  in  color  from  the  typical  animal 
from  Arizona  and  Colorado,  and  agree  with  alleni  from  the  Black  Hills 
in  having  the  upper  parts  strongly  suffused  with  golden  brown,  the 
yellow  of  the  under  parts  yellow  rather  than  ochraceous,  and  the  under 
side  of  the  tail  strongly  yellow  on  the  basal  half  or  two-thirds.  The 
skulls,  however,  lack  the  flattened  audital  bulla?  of  alleni.  Specimens 
from  the  Sierra  Nevada  in  California  are  hardly  distinguishable  from 
the  Rocky  Mountain  animal.  The  only  apparent  external  differences 
are  that  the  yellow  of  the  under  parts  reaches  up  farther  under  the 
chin,  the  white  of  the  upper  lip  is  less  extensive,  and  the  under  side  of 
the  tail  is  more  suffused  with  yellowish.  But  none  of  these  characters  is 
constant.  In  one  specimen  from  Donner,  Calif.  (No.  2G50,  female,  Mer- 
riam  Coll.),  even  the  white  upper  lip  is  as  marked  as  in  Rocky  Mountain 
specimens;  it  reaches  all  the 
way  round,  fills  the  space  under 
the  nasal  pad  to  the  nostrils, 
and  broadens  strongly  under 
the  eyes.  In  cranial  charac- 
ters also  the  differences  are 
slight  and  inconstant.  The 
postorbital  processes  are  longer 
and  more  slender,  often  becom- 
ing peg-like  in  old  males.  The 
audital  bulhe  average  smaller 
and  more  convex  anteriorly, 
and  in  the  female  are  decidedly 

narrower     and     more   Subcylin-     FlGS- 13  and  U— P-  arizonensis  J  ad.    Boulder  County, 

dric.    But  in  an  adult  female 

from  Fort  Klamath,  Oreg.,  the  bulhe  are  nearly  as  broad  as  in  Rocky 
Mountain  females.  The  three  female  skulls  I  have  seen  of  the  Sierra 
form  are  decidedly  smaller  than  females  from  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

The  Sierra  specimens  show  a  strong  tendency  to  grade  into,  or  at 
least  toward  xanthogenys.  In  nearly  half  the  specimens  examined  white 
hairs  are  present  between  the  eyes,  and  in  several  they  are  sufficiently 
numerous  to  form  a  conspicuous  white  spot,  though  the  spot  is  not 
large  and  rectangular  as  in  true  xanthogenys.  The  white  cheek  spots  I 
have  not  seen  in  Sierra  specimens,  but  the  brown  spots  behind  the  cor- 
ners of  the  mouth  are  sometimes  present  (as  in  No.  30G55,  male,  from 
Upper  Cotton  wood  Meadows,  near  Mount  Whitney,  Calif.). 

A  specimen  from  St.  George,  Utah,  an  old  female,  differs  in  some 
respects  from  typical  arizonensis.  The  skull  is  small  and  relatively 
short,  and  the  shortening  is  mainly  in  the  palate  and  rostral  part,  which 
measures  2  mm.  less  than  the  average  of  adult  females  of  arizonensis  of 


24  NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA.  [No.  11. 

the  same,  si/e.  Moreover,  the  ]>ostorl>it;il  processes  are  longer  and  more 
slender  than  in  any  female,  of  arizonenttiH  I  have  examined  from  either 
the  Rocky  Mountain  or  Sierra  systems.  Externally  the  St.  George 
specimen  differs  from  typical  ar/.:o;/n/.s-/.s  in  the  following  particulars: 
Yellow  of  underparts  more  strongly  tinged  with  ochraceous;  white  of 
upper  lip  narrow  and  not  reaching  around  anteriorly;  brown  of  upper 
parts  reaching  down  on  outer  side  of  arm  to  wrist;  a  small  brown  spot 
bearing  two  bristles  just  behind  each  corner  of  mouth.  In  this  respect, 
and  this  only,  it  resembles  axmthogenys;  there  is  no  trace  of  white  on 
the  cheeks  or  between  the  eyes. 

MeamtreiHcnts. — Average  of  5  males  from  the  Rocky  Mountains: 
Total  length,  385;  tail  vertebne,  144;  hind  foot,  44.5.  Average  of  4 
females:  Total  length,  358;  tail  vertebne,  130;  hind  foot,  40. 


PUTORIUS  ALLENI  sp.  nov.     Black  Hills  Weasel. 

Type  from  Ouster,  Black  Hills,  South  Dakota.     No.  *|j6,  $  ad.,  Merriani  collection. 
Collected  July  12,  1888,  by  Vernon  Bailey.     Original  No.  90. 

Geographic  distribution. — Black  Hills,  South  Dakota. 

Characters. — Similar  to  P.  arizoncnxift  in  size  and  general  characters, 
but  upper  parts  more  suffused  with  yellowish  and  andital  bulhe  flatter. 

Color. — Upper  parts  from  occiput  to  black  tip  of  tail  golden  or  yel- 
lowish-brown, in  some  lights  with  an  olivaceous  tinge;  head  dark 
brown,  without  yellowish  tinge;  upper  lip  and  chin  white;  rest  of 
underparts,  including  inner  sides  of  legs,  whole  of  fore  feet,  toes  of 
hind  feet  and  under  side  of  basal  part  of  tail,  intense  butty  yellow. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  similar  to  that  of  arizoHCHHix,  but  audital 
bailee  much  flatter  and  somewhat  smaller;  brain  case  slightly  flatter 
and  bulging  laterally  immediately  behind  constriction;  frontal  some- 
what broader  interorbitally;  skull  as  a  whole  shorter.  The  skull  of  an 
old  female  (No.  7441,  Am.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist.)  is  much  smaller  than  the 
male,  and  the  audital  bulla1  are  narrow  and  not  flattened.  In  both 
sexes  the  postorbital  processes  are  strongly  developed. 

Remark*. — Futorius  alleni  is  an  isolated  and  only  slightly  differen- 
tiated form  of  P.  arizoncnsis,  from  which  it  is  completely  cut  off  geo- 
graphically. It  is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  the  large  weasel  of  the 
plains,  P.  lon<jicau<la.  In  worn  summer  pelage  the  color  differences 
that  distinguish  it  from  arizonensix  are  not  apparent. 

I  take  pleasure  in  naming  the  species  in  honor  of  Dr.  J.  A.  Allen, 
of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  New  York,  who  has 
recently  published  an  important  paper  on  the  mammals  of  the  Black 
Hills,  and  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  the  loan  of  three  additional 
specimens. 

Measurements  (of  type  specimen,  male  adult). — Total  length,  37H;  tail 
vertebra?,  137;  hind  foot,  44. 


JUNE,  1896.]    SYNOPSIS   OF    THE    WEASELS    OF   NORTH    AMERICA.  25 

PUTORIUS  XANTHOGENYS  (Gray).     California  Weasel. 

1S43.  Mustela  .runlhoyaius  Gray  :  Annals  and  Maga/ino  Nat.  Hist.,  XI,  pp.  118, 1843. 
1857.  Pulorius  xaniJioyi-nys  IJaml:  Mammals  N.  Am.,  pp.  176-177. 1857. 
1877.  Pulorius  (Gale)  brasH'iendix  f remit  us  Cones:  Fur- Hearing  Animals,  ]»p.  142-146, 
1877  (in  part). 

Type  locality.— Southern  California,  probably  vicinity  of  San  Diego. 

Geographic  (listribtitron. — Sonoran  and  Transition  faunas  of  Califor- 
nia, on  both  sides  of  the  Sierra  Nevada. 

General  characters. — Si/,e  medium;  tail  long;  face  conspicuously 
marked  with  whitish,  but  rest  of  head  not  black;  under  parts 
ochraceous. 

Color. — Upper  parts  from  back  of  head  to  terminal  part  of  tail  in 
summer  pelage  raw-umber  brown,  tinged  with  golden;  in  winter  pelaye, 
drab  brown,  without  yellowish  suffusion;  head  always  darker,  becom- 
ing dusky  over  nose;  a  large  rectangular  spot  between  eyes,  and  a 
broad  oblique  band  between  eye  and  eir,  whitish;  end  of  tail  black; 
a' brown  spot  behind  corners  of  mouth ;  chin  white ;  rest  of  under  parts, 
including  fore  feet  all  round  and  inner  side  and  toes  of  hind  feel,  vary- 
ing from  buffy  ochraceons  to  ochraceous  orange.  In  some  specimens 
the  ocliraceous  covers  the  greater  part  of  the  hind  feet  as  well  as  the 
toes. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  of  the  lonyicauda  type  and  practically 
indistinguishable  in  size  and  characters  from  P.  arlzonensls;  skull  as  a 
whole  short  and  broad;  zygomata  bowed  outward;  postorbital  processes 
strongly  developed;  sagittal  ridge  distinct;  audital  bulLe  moderate, 
usually  truncate  anteriorly;  skull  of  female  similar  to  that  of  male, 
but  smaller. 

Remarks. — Putorius  .vanthogenys  inhabits  the  San  Joaquin  and  Owens 
valleys  and  the  whole  of  southern  California  except  the  higher  moun- 
tains. In  ascending  the  mountains  it  gradually  loses  the  facial  mark- 
ings and  seems  to  grade  into  P.  arizonensis,  the  weasel  of  the  mountain 
summits. 

Measurements. — Average  of  7  males  from  southern  California:  Total 
length,  402;  tail  vertebrae,  15G ;  hind  foot,  43.5.  Average  of  3  females : 
Total  length,  368;  tail  vertebrae,  135;  hind  foot,  40.5. 

PUTORIUS  XANTHOGENYS  OREGONENSIS  subsp.  nov.     Oregon  Weasel. 

Type  from  Grants  Pass,  Rogue  River  Valley,  Oregon.    No.  f|gi§,  2  ad.,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus., 

Dept.  Agric.  Coll.     Collected  December  19,  1891,  by  Clark  P.  Streator.     Original 

number  1404. 

Geographic  distribution. — Kogue  lliver  Valley,  Oregon;  limits  of 
range  unknown. 

General  characters. — Similar  to  P.  xanthogenys  but  decidedly  larger, 
darker  in  color,  and  with  face  markings  much  restricted. 

Color. — Upper  parts  in  winter  pelage  pale  chocolate  brown,  slightly 
darker  on  head;  a  small  and  ill-defined  patch  between  eyes,  and  a  nar- 


26  NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA. 

row  vertical  bar  between  eye  and  ear,  white;  throat  white:  rest  of 
under  parts,  including  fore  feet  and  inner  sides  and  distal  half  of  hind 
feet,  pale  yellowish;  terminal  one-fifth  of  tail  black;  rest  of  tail  above 
and  below  concolor  with  back  and  without  the  yellowish  tinge  which 
is  characteristic  of  xanthogenys. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  similar  to  that  of  xanikogenys  but  larger 
and  decidedly  broader.  The  skull  of  the  type,  an  adult  female,  com- 
pared with  skulls  of  xanthogenys  of  the  saiue  sex  and  age  from  south- 
ern California,  differs  in  the  following  particulars:  Skull  everywhere 
broader;  muzzle,  palate,  interorbital  breadth  and  constriction  very 
much  broader;  zygomata  more  spreading. 

Measurements. — Type  specimen,  female  adult:  Total  length,  412;  tail 
vertebra^  Io5;  hind  foot,  44. 

PUTORIUS  FRENATUS  (Lichtenstein).     Bridled  Weasel. 
(PL  III,  figs.  1,  la,  Ib,  2.) 

1813.  Musiela  Irasilienaix  Sevastianoff :  Mem.  Acad.  Imp.  Sci.  St.  Petersburg,  IV, 
356-363,  Table  iv,  1813.  (Name  on  plate  only;  diagnosis  in  text.)  Preoc- 
cupied by  Musiela  brasiliensis  [an  otter]  Gmelin,  1788. 

1832.  Mustda  frenatu  Lichtenstein :  Darstelluug  neuer  oder  wenig  bekannter  Sau- 
gethiere,  PI.  XL1I  and  corresponding  text  (unpaged),  1832. 

1857.  Putorius  frenatu s  Bnird:  Mammals  N.  Am.,  173-176,  1857. 

Type  locality. — Valley  of  Mexico,  near  City  of  Mexico. 

General  characters. — Size  large;  tail  long;  its  black  tip  relatively 
short;  head  black,  Avith  conspicuous  white  markings. 

Color. — Top  of  head  blackish,  interrupted  between  eye  and  ear  by  a 
broad,  whitish  band,  which  is  nearly  confluent  with  a  patch  of  same 
color  between  the  eyes;  rest  of  upper  parts  brown;  a  dark  spot  behind 
corners  of  mouth;  chin  and  throat  whitish;  rest  of  under  parts  ochra- 
ceous  yellow;  forefeet  to  or  above  wrists  whitish  or  pale  buffy  yellow- 
ish, continuous  with  and  shading  into  ochraceous  of  under  parts;  color 
of  under  parts  extending  down  on  inner  side  of  hind  legs  and  feet  to 
toes,  which  are  whitish  or  yellowish  white. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  large  aiid  massive,  with  strongly  devel- 
oped postorbital  processes,  deep  postorbital  constriction,  marked  sagit- 
tal crest,  and  peculiar  audital  bull  a? ,  which  are  obliquely  truncated 
anteriorily  (the  inner  side  reaching  farthest  forward)  and  abruptly 
highest  on  inner  side,  falling  away  suddenly  on  outer  side  so  as  to 
form  a  rounded  ridge  along  the  inner  side  of  the  longitudinal  axis  of 
the  bulla.  The  skull  of  frenaius  resembles  that  of  longicauda,  but  is 
considerably  larger,  and  differs  in  the  form  of  the  audital  bulhe  just 
described,  and  also  in  the  extent  of  the  postglenoid  space,  which  is 
much  larger  than  in  longicauda.  The  dentition  is  heavy  and  the 
upper  carnassial  tooth  relatively  shorter  than  in  longicauda.  The 
ramus  of  the  under  jaw  is  much  more  convex  inferiorly. 

Remarks. — Lichtenstein,  in  his  original  description  of  Mvtstelafrenatdi 
states  that  the  tail  is  about  one-third  longer  than  that  of  the  European 


JUNE.  1896.]     SYNOPSIS   OP   THE    WEASELS    OP   NORTH    AMERICA.  27 

weasel  (erminea) ;  that  only  its  extreme  tip  is  black ;  that  the  head,  ears, 
aod  crown  are  black,  this  coloring  fading  into  the  reddish  brown  of  the 
upper  parts  on  the  back  of  the  head  behind  the  ears;  that  the  facial 
markings,  throat,  and  breast  are  Avhite;  the  remainder  of  the  under 
parts  ocher  yellow.  The  white  spot  between  the  eyes  is  described  as 
heart-shaped,  and  in  the  colored  plate  it  is  shown  to  be  nearly,  but  not 
quite,  confluent  with  the  white  patch  between  the  eye  and  ear.  The 
colors  in  the  plate  are  not  good,  as  the  whole  tinder  parts  are  white 
instead  of  ocher  yellow,  and  the  black  tip  of  the  tail  is  not  shown.  The 
specimen  seems  to  have  been  in  worn  pelage.  Lichtenstein  had  two 
specimens,  both  collected  by  Deppe  near  the  City  of  Mexico. 

Fortunately,  the  Department  collection  contains  two  specimens  col- 
lected by  E.  W.  Nelson  at  Tlalpam,  in  the  Valley  of  Mexico,  which  may 
be  considered  topotypes  of  frenatus,  for  they  not  only  came  from  the 
same  locality  as  Lichteu stein's  types,  but  also  agree  essentially  in  every 
detail  with  his  excellent  description.  The  only  points  in  which  the 
description  fails  to  agree  absolutely  with  the  specimens  is  that  in  the 
latter  the  white  of  the  throat  is  less  pure  and  the  black  tip  of  the  tail 
perhaps  a  trifle  more  extensive  than  one  would  infer  from  the  descrip- 
tion; but  the  throat  is  white  in  contrast  with  the  strongly  ochraceons 
yellow  of  the  rest  of  the  under  parts,  and  a  specimen  in  the  United 
States  National  Museum  from  the  City  of  Mexico  (No.  10GO,  9  ad., 
J.  Potts)  has  both  throat  and  breast  white,  as  in  the  original  description. 

The  statement  that  only  the  extreme  tip  of  the  tail  is  black  was  made 
in  comparison  with  the  European  weasel  (erminea),  in  which  nearly  half 
of  the  tail  is  black.  Hence  the  description  agrees  entirely  with  the 
specimens  in  hand.  One  point  not  mentioned  in  the  description  is 
shown  in  the  plate,  namely,  that  the  hind  feet  and  toes  are  in  large 
part  whitish  or  yellowish  white.  The  quantity  of  white  is  variable. 
In  a  young  male  from  Tlalpam  (No.  50827)  it  is  restricted  to  the  inner 
side  of  the  foot,  hardly  reaching  the  toes,  while  in  an  adult  male  from 
the  same  locality  (No.  50826)  it  includes  the  toes.  The  whitish  spot 
between  the  eyes  is  also  variable,  both  in  form  and  extent.  Lichtenstein 
described  it  as  heart-shaped,  and  his  figure  shows  that  it  is  narrow 
where  it  approaches  closest  to  the  stripe  between  the  eye  and  ear,  with 
which  it  is  nearly,  but  not  quite,  confluent.  This  is  precisely  its  con- 
dition m  the  adult  male  from  Tlalpam,  which  may  be  considered  a 
duplicate  type  of  the  species.  In  this  specimen  the  median  white  spot 
is  almost  divided  by  the  dark  color  of  the  forehead,  which  pushes  down 
between  the  eyes,  so  that  the  whitish  spot  might  be  described  as  a 
narrow  stripe  over  each  eye,  the  two  becoming  confluent  below.  In 
the  young  specimen  the  white  spot  is  subrectangular  and  not  divided 
by  the  black  of  the  forehead. 

Note  on  Putorins  braMliensis. — In  1813  a  Russian  naturalist,  Sevas- 
tianoff,  gave  the  name  '•Mustehi  brasiliensis'  to  a  weasel  brought  to 
St.  Petersburg  by  Capt.  A.  J.  Krusenstern  oai  his  return  from  a  voyage 


28  NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA.  [No.  11. 

around  the  world.  The  animal  was  said  to  have  come  from  Brazil,  hut 
no  definite  locality  was  given.  In  the  numerous  publications  that  have 
since  appeared  relating  to  the  mammals  of  Brazil  and  adjacent  terri- 
tory, no  weasels  are  mentioned  as  inhabiting  that  country,  and  the 
species  described  from  the  mountains  to  the  westward  differ  so  widely 
from  SevastianofPs  brasiliensis  that  it  is  almost  certain  his  animal  did 
not  come  from  Brazil.  The  original  description  (including  measure 
merit!?)  agrees  in  every  respect  with  P.  frenatus  of  Lichteustien  from 
the  Valley  of  Mexico,  indicating  that  the  two  animals  are  identical. 
On  this  assumption  the  well-known  and  appropriate  name  f remit  its 
would  have  to  fall  before  the  earlier  and  inappropriate  'brasiliensixS 
Fortunately,  however,  Sevastianoff  placed  his  animal  in  the  genus 
Mustela,  and  the  name  Mustela  brasiliensis  is  preoccupied  by  Gmelin 
for  a  South  American  otter.  (Syst.  Nat.,  ed.  13,  p.  03,  1788.)  Hence, 
unless  some  earlier  name  is  found,  frenatus  will  stand  for  the  Mexican 
bridled  weasel. 

Measurements. — An  adult  male  from  Tlalpam,  Valley  of  Mexico  (type 
locality) :  Total  length,  505;  tail  vertebra,  203;  hind  foot,  53.  Average 
of  G  males  from  Brownsville,  Tex. :  Total  length,  488;  tail  vertebrae,  192; 
hind  foot,  51.  Average  of  3  females  from  Brownsville:  Total  length, 
438;  tail  vertebra?,  187;  hind  foot,  41.5. 

PUTORIUS  FRENATUS  GOLDMANI  subsp.  nov. 

Type  from  Pinabete,  Chiapas,  Mexico.  No.  77519,  $  ad..  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric. 
coll.  Collected  Feb.  10,  1896,  by  E.  A.  Goldman.  Altitude  about  8,200  feet  (  =  2,500 
meters).  Original  number  9279. 

Geographic  distribution. — Mountains  of  southeastern  Chiapas;  limits 
of  range  unknown. 

General  character*. — Similar  to  P.  frenatus  in  size  and  general  char- 
acters, but  tail  and  hind  feet  longer;  light  markings  more  restricted; 
black  of  head  reaching  much  farther  back  on  neck;  color  of  upper  parts 
darker  and  more  extensive,  encroaching  on  sides  of  belly  and  covering 
fore  and  hind  feet;  black  tip  of  tail  longer. 

Color. — Upper  parts,  including  whole  of  fore  and  hind  feet,  dull,  dark 
chestnut  brown,  washed  with  black  on  the  neck  from  shoulders  forward, 
and  becoming  pure  black  on  the  head;  face  marked  by  a  whitish  patch 
between  the  eyes,  and  a  narrow,  oblique  band  between  eye  and  ear;  a 
blackish  spot  behind  angle  of  mouth;  color  of  under  parts  salmon 
ochraceous,  reaching  wrists  inferiorly,  but  not  reaching  heels;  terminal 
third  of  tail  black. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  rather  large;  zygomata  moderately  spread- 
ing: squamosal  inflation  moderate,  but  large  for  a  member  of  the  Jre- 
natus  series;  audital  bulla1  small,  steep  on  inner  side,  and  only  slightly 
elevated  anteriorly  above  squamosal  inflation.  The  skull  as  a  whole 
resembles  that  of  frenatus,  but  differs  conspicuously  in  the  greater 
length  and  inflation  of  the  postglenoid  part  of  the  squamosal,  greater 
breadth  of  the  basioccipital,  and  in  the  size  and  form  of  the  audital 


JUNE,  1896.]     SYNOPSIS    OF    THE    WEASELS    OF    NORTH    AMERICA.  21) 

bailie.  The  latter  are  very  narrow,  low  anteriorly  where  they  meet  the 
inflated  squamosal  without  an  abrupt  step,  and  high  along  the  inner 
side. 

Remarks. — Mr.  E.  W.  Nelson  writes  me  that  this  fine  weasel  is  found 
sparingly  in  the  forest  about  Pinabete,  Chiapas,  at  an  altitude  of  7,000 
to  8,000  feet  (2,100  to  2,500  meters).  The  type  specimen  was  shot  in 
the  afternoon  while  hunting  on  a  heavily  wooded  hill  slope.  It  was 
hoard  making  long,  slow  leaps  over  the  dry,  crisp  leaves.  Coming  to  a 
log,  it  stood  up  and  rested  its  fore  feet  on  the  log,  in  which  position  it 
was  shot  by  Mr.  Goldman. 

A  specimen  from  Cerro  San  Felipe,  Oaxaca,  is  intermediate,  both 
in  coloration  and  cranial  characters,  between  typical  frenatus  and 
goldmani;  hence  there  is  little  room  for  doubt  that  complete  inter- 
gradation  exists  between  the  two. 

Measurements.— Type  specimen,  male  adult:  Total  length,  504 ;  tail 
vertebra,  201 ;  hind  foot,  58. 

PUTORIUS  FRENATUS  LEUCOPARIA  subsp.  nov. 

Type  from  Patzcuaro,  Michoacan,  Mexico.     No.   Jj^H,  <?  ad.,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept. 
Agric.  coll.     Collected  July  27, 1892,  by  E.  W.  Nelson.     Original  number  2960. 

General  characters. — Similar  to  Putorius  frenatus,  but  slightly  larger; 
black  of  head  extending  posteriorly  over  neck;  white  face  markings 
much  more  extensive;  the  spot  between  the  eyes  very  much  larger  and 
broadly  confluent  on  both  sides  with  whitish  area  between  eye  and  ear, 
which  area  also  is  much  more  extensive  in  all  directions  than  in 
frenatus. 

'Color. — Upper  parts  from  shoulders  to  black  tip  of  tail,  dark  brown; 
neck,  crown  of  head,  nose,  ears,  and  sides  of  face  to  a  little  behind  the 
eye,  black ;  black  of  head  between  eyes  and  ears  divided  by  a  broad 
band  of  buffy  white  which  is  broadly  confluent  with  buffy  yellow  of 
throat  and  chin;  a  narrow  border  of  whitish  on  upper  lip;  rest  of 
under  parts  ochraceous  yellow  (including  whole  of  forefeet,  inner  sides 
of  hind  legs  and  feet,  and  terminal  half  or  nearly  half  of  upper  surfaces 
of  hind  feet,  where  the  color  becomes  paler,  being  buffy  ochraceous,  as 
on  the  throat). 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  similar  to  that  of  frenntus,  but  larger; 
audital  bulhe  much  narrower;  postorbital  processes  less  strongly 
developed. 

Remarks. — This  handsome  weasel  presents  the  maximum  of  black 
and  white  markings  known  in  the  frenatus  group,  the  black  of  the  head 
reaching  back  over  the  neck  and  the  white  face  markings  covering  a 
large  area.  In  the  type  specimen  a  white  stripe  50  mm.  in  length 
extends  down  the  middle  of  the  nape  from  a  point  between  the  ears 
more  than  halfway  to  the  shoulders.  This,  however,  is  probably  ab- 
normal, though  a  trace  of  it  exists  in  a  female  from  the  same  locality. 
This  form  is  the  poorest  subspecies  described  in  the  present  paper. 


30  NORTH  AMERICAN  FAUNA. 

Measurements. — Average  of  2  males  from  Pat/cuaro  (type  locality) : 
Total  length,  510;  tail  vertebra1,  201;  bind  foot,  53.  An  adult  female 
from  same  place:  Total  length,  400;  tail  vertebra},  15!);  hind  foot,  42. 

PUTOKIUS  TKOPICALIS  sp.  nov.     Tropical  Bridled  Weasel. 
(PL  III,  figs.,  5,  5a,  6,  60.) 

Type  from  Jico,  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico  No.  51994,  $  ad.,  U.  8.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric. 
coll.  Collected  July  9, 1893,  by  E.  W.  Nelsou.  Altitude  6,000  feet  ( -^1,800  meters). 
Original  number  5195. 

Geographic  distribution. — The  tropical  coast  belt  of  southern  Mexico 
and  Guatemala  from  Vera  Cruz  southward. 

General  characters. — Similar  to  Putorius  frenattis,  but  much  smaller 
and  darker,  with  the  white  face  markings  less  extensive,  the  belly  pale 
orange  instead  of  ochraceous,  and  under  side  of  tail  very  much  darker. 

Color. — Upper  parts  deep  umber  brown  with  a  fulvous  tone;  head, 
ears,  and  neck,  black,  passing  gradually  into  brown  of  back  just  in 
front  of  the  shoulders;  terminal  one-fourth  (or  a  little  more)  of  tail, 
black;  face  markings  as  m  frenatois,  but  less  extensive  and  whiter; 
under  parts  ochraceous  buff  on  throat  and  fore  feet,  becoming  rich 
orange  buff  on  belly  and  inner  side  of  thighs,  whence  (becoming  paler) 
the  color  reaches  out  in  a  narrow  interrupted  stripe  along  the  inner 
side  of  the  hind  feet  to  the  toes,  which  are  irregularly  buffy. 

Cranial  characters. — Skull  of  male  similar  in  general  to  that  of  fre- 
natus,  but  smaller,  relatively  longer,  with  less  spreading  zygomata,  less 
strongly  developed  postorbital  processes,  and  probably  broader  postor- 
bital  constriction  (the  type  skull  was  infested  with  parasites) ;  audital 
bullaB  smaller  and  very  much  narrower;  carnassial  teeth  and  upper 
molar  smaller.  The  skull  of  the  female  is  very  much  smaller  than  that 
of  the  male,  and  has  the  smoothly  rounded  brain  case  of  the  cicognani 
group,  without  trace  of  a  sagittal  ridge.  The  squamosals  are  strongly 
inflated,  resembling  those  of  cicognani  and  the  female  of  noveboracensis. 
It  differs  from  the  female  frenatus  in  much  smaller  size,  very  much 
smaller  audital  bullaj,  more  inflated  squamosals,  smoothly  rounded 
brain  case  without  trace  of  sagittal  crest,  and  broader  interorbital 
constriction,  which  is  immediately  behind  postorbital  processes  instead 
of  one-fifth  the  distance  from  the  processes  to  the  occipital  crest  (fig.  15). 

Remarks. — On  first  examining  the  skins  of  this  weasel  sent  home  by 
Mr.  Nelson,  I  supposed  it  to  be  merely  a  tropical  subspecies  ofJrei>«tHn; 
but  on  comparing  the  skulls  I  am  forced  to  accord  it  full  specific  rank. 
The  difference  is  greatest  in  the  females,  and  is  really  very  remarkable, 
as  may  be  seen  from  the  accompanying  figures  (figs.  15  and  16).  The 
female  of  frenatus  (fig.  10)  resembles  the  male  of  the  same  species  (pi.  Ill, 
fig.  1),  while  the  female  of  tropicalis  (fig.  1.5)  resembles  the  cicognani 
group — representing  another  section  of  the  genus.  The  case  is  parallel 
to  that  of  P.  noveboracensis  already  described.  The  female  of  tropicalis, 
like  that  of  noveboracensis^  shows  arrested  development  or  absence  of 


JUNE,  1890.]     SYNOPSIS    OP    THE    WEASELS    OF    NORTH   AMERICA*  31 

the  specialization  that  characterizes  the  male,  while  the  females  of 
H*ashhiyt<tni  and  frenatux  have  advanced  further  and  are  more  like 
the  male.  In  the  case  of  the  female  skulls  of  frenatus  and  tropicalis 
here  figured,  it  is  interesting  to  know  that  they  were  taken  within 
a  few  miles  of  one  another — frenatus  on  Cofre  de  Perote.  at  an 
altitude  of  about  12,500  feet; 
tropical!*  at  Jico  on  the  plain 
below,  at  an  altitude  of  5,000  or 
0,000  feet.1 

The  Department  collection 
contains  four  specimens  of  this 
weasel,  all  collected  by  Mr.  Nel- 
son in  Yera  Cruz.  Three  of 
t-hem,  two  adult  males  and  one 
old  female,  are  from  Jico;  the 
fourth,  an  immature  female,  is 
from  Catemaco,  and  presents  the 
extreme  of  differentiation  in  in- 

•  ,          n        i  m,  .          „  FIG.  15 — P.  frenatus'}.         FIG.  1C. — P.  trox>icalis  9 . 

tensity  of  color.    The  hind  feet 

are  dark  throughout  and  the  color  of  the  upper  parts  is  peculiarly  dark 

and  rich,  as  in  P.  affinis. 

Measurements. — Average  of  two  adult  males  from  Jico,  Vera  Cruz 
(type  locality):  Total  length,  442;  tail  vertebrte,  175;  hind  foot,  50. 
An  old  female  from  same  place:  Total  length,  333;  tail  vertebra,  121; 
hind  foot,  37. 

PUTORIUS  AFFINIS  (Gray).    . 

Mustela  affinis  Gray:  Annals  &  Mag.  Nat.  Hist.,  4th  ser.,  XIV,  p.  375,  Nov.,  1874. 

Type  locality. — "New  Granada"  [=  Colombia]. 

General  characters. — Size  large;  tail  long;  color  very  dark,  almost 
black  anteriorly;  facial  markings  obsolete  or  nearly  so. 

Color. — Upper  parts  nearly  pure  black  on  head  and  neck,  fading 
imperceptibly  to  rich  blackish  brown  on  back,  rump,  and  tail;  black 
tip  of  tail  long,  but  not  strongly  contrasted  with  dark  color  of  rest  of 
tail;  under  parts  narrowly  ochraceous  orange,  narrowest  behind'augle 
of  mouth,  where  it  is  encroached  on  by  the  blackish  of  the  cheeks.  Face 
usually  unmarked,  but  a  whitish  streak  sometimes  present  in  front 
of  ear. 

Cranial  characters. — The  only  skull  of  this  weasel  I  have  seen  is  from 
a  skin  (No.  13770,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.)  collected  by  Dr.  Van  Patten,  at  San 
Jose,  Costa  Eica.  It  is  immature,  but  differs  strikingly  from  frenatus 
in  the  greater  breadth  of  the  frontal  region  and  the  flatness  of  the 
audital  bullus.  The  constriction  is  little  marked,  which  may  be  due  to 


'The  difference  in  size  of  the  two  species  is  well  shown  by  the  flesh  measurements 
of  these  two  specimens.  Female  frenatus,  Cofre  do  Perote:  Total  length,  418;  tail 
vertebra,  160;  hind  foot,  45.  Female  tropicalis,  Jico:  Total  length,  333;  tail  verte- 
bra-, 121;  hind  foot,  37. 


32  NORTH    AMERICAN    FAUNA.  [Xo.iL 

parasites  in  the  frontal  sinuses.  The  young  skull  affords  the  following' 
measurements:  Basal  length,  r>0;  /ygomatic  breadth,  29;  postpalatal 
length,  20;  palatal  length,  21;  interorbital  breadth,  12;  breadth  across 
postorbital  processes,  15;  breadth  of  constriction,  14. 

General  remarks. — There  are  several  specimens  from  Costa  Rica  in 
the  National  Museum  collection  which  apparently  belong  to  this 
species.  In  these  specimens  the  color  of  the  upper  parts  is  exceed- 
ingly dark  from  the  color  of  the  tips  of  the  hairs;  but  the  color  imme- 
diately underlying  the  black  tips  is  deep  fulvous  brown,  giving  a  very 
rich  tone  to  the  pelage.  The  orange  of  the  under  parts  is  narrow  and 
does  not  reach  the  feet;  on  the  hind  legs  it  stops  on  the  thighs,  and  on 
the  forelegs  it  stops  short  of  the  wrists. 

Measurements  (from  dry  skins  in  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.). — Total  length, 
about  010;  tail  vertebra',  about  180;  hind  foot,  about  52. 


JUNK,  1890.]  SYNOPSIS    OP    THE    WEASELS    OF    NORTH   AMERICA.               33 
Table  of  average  cranial  measurements  of  North  American  Weasels. 

Name. 

Locality. 

1 

i 

is 
lw 

i 

5 
1 

N 

1 

a 

Breadth  across  post- 
orbital  processes. 

Interorbital  breadth. 

Foramen  magnum  to 
plane  of  last  molars. 

Palatal  length. 

Postpalatal  length. 

Number  of  skulls  in 
average. 

P.  cicognani  

P.  richardsoni.  .  .  . 
P.  alascensis  
P.  streatori  

Ossipee,  N.  H  
Elk  River   Minn 

d 
d 

9 

d 
d 
<f 
9 

9 
9 

<f 

' 
, 
rf 

cf 

9 
<f 
9 
9 

9 
d 
9 
<f 

ef 

9 

<f 
9 

tf 

9. 
d 
9 
d 
9 

38.5 
40.2 
33.5 
32.5 

41.  r. 

43 
35 
30 
33.5 
28.5 
26.5 
44.5 

43.5 
43 
38 
'42 
47 
38.5 
44.2 
38.3 
45.5 
48 

43.5 
48 
44 
45 

42 
44 
44.5 
39.5 
42 

44 
42 
52.5 
45 
49 
37.5 

37.5 
39 
32.5 
31.5 
40 
42 
34 
29.5 
32.5 
28 
'26 
43 

42 

42 
37 
'41 
45.5 
37.5 
43 
37.5 
44 
47 

42.5 
46.5 
43 
44 

41 
43 
43.5 
38 
40.8 
37.5 
42.5 
41 
51 
43.5 
47.5 
3,5 

21 

18 
17.5 
24 
24.5 
20 
16.5 
18 
15.5 
14.2 
29.5 

27.5 
26.5 
22.5 
24 
27 
20 
26 
21.5 
27 
30.5 

26 
29.5 
26 

: 

:. 

27 
23 
27.5 
24 
33.5 
25.5 

•H 

18.5 
19.5 
16 
16 
20.5 
21 
18 
15 
1C.  5 
13.5 
13.5 
23 

22.5 
22.5 
19 
20.5 
23.5 
18.5 
23 
20 
24 
26 

23 
26 
23.5 
25 

23 
23 
23 
20.5 
22 

23."5 
22.5 
27.5 
23 
24.5 
19.5 

10.5 
11 
10 
9 
11.5 
14 
11 
10 
9.8 
8.5 
7.5 
14.5 

L 

12 
12.5 
14.5 
11 
12.5 
10.5 
14 
15.5 

12 
14.5 
13 

14 

12.5 
13 
14.5 
11.3 
13.2 
12 
13.5 
12 
15.5 

i 

12 

8.7 
9 
7.8 
7  • 
9.7 
11 

r 
i: 

12.5 

11 
12 
10 
10.5 
11.3 
8.5 
10.2 
8.7 
11 
11.5 

10.5 
11.5 

10.5 
11 

10.5 
10.5 

f 

9 
9.5 
9.5 
12 
10 
10.5 
9 

25.5 
26.5 
22 
21.5 
27 
28.5 
23 
20 
22 
19 
17.5 
29 

28.5 
28 
24.5 
'27 
30 
25.5 
27.5 
24 
29 
30 

26.5 
30 

28 
28.5 

26.5 
27 
28 

26.2 
24.5 
27.5 
26 
33.5 
29 
32 
24.5 

16.5 
17 
14 
14 
18 
19 
15 
12 
14.5 
12.5 
11 
20.5 

19.5 
19.5 
16.5 
17.5 
21.5 
16 
21 
17.8 
21 
23 

20.5 
23.5 
20.5 
21 

20 
20.5 
21 
18 
20 
18 
20.5 
19.5 
24.5 
19.5 
22 

10 

22 
22.5 
19.5 
18 
23 
24 
20 
18 
19.5 
16.5 
'15 
24 

24 
24 
21 
'24 
25.5 
22.5 
23 
20.5 
24.5 
25 

22.5 
24 
23.5 
24 

22 
23.5 
23 
21 

20.5 
23.2 
22 
27.  5 
25 
27 
21.5 

4 
4 

1 
1 
.3 
1 
1 
1 
3 
1 
1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
1 
5 
1 
7 
.4 
1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
2 

1 
1 
4 
8 
8 

2 

1 
1 
1 
1 

1 

Do 

Mount  Forest,  Ontario.  . 
Great  Slave  Lake  
J  uneau,  Alaska  
Skagit  Valley,  Wash  .  .  . 
Do 

Trout  Lake,  Wash  
Do  

Osier,  Saskatchewan  .  .  . 
Point  Biirrow,  Alaska  .  . 
Franklin    Bay,   Arctic 
Coast. 
St.  Michaels,  Alaska... 
Do  
Kadiak  Island.  Alaska.  . 
Adirondacks,  X.  T  
Do  
Trout  Lake,  Wash  
Do 

P.  kadiacensis  
P.  noveboracensis  . 

P.  washingtoni  

P.  peninsula;  
P.  longicauda  

P.  spadix  
P.saturatus  
P.  arizonentis  

P.  alleni  

Tarpon  Springs,  Fla  
Carlton     House,     Sas- 
katchewan. 
Do  

Elk  River,  Minn  

Do 

Siskiyou  Mountains, 
Oregon. 
Springerville,  Ariz  
Boulder  County,  Colo.  .. 
Sierra  Nevada,  Cal  
Do  
Black  Hills,  S.  Dak  
Do 

P.  xanthogenys  
P.frenatus  
P.tropicalis  

Southern  California  
Do 

Tlalpam,  Mexico  
Cofre  de  Perote,  Mexico. 
.Tico,  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico. 
Do 

10932— No.  11- 


X. 


[Synonyms  in  italics. 


Aretogale,  9. 

Cynomyonax  (synonym  of  Putorius),  7. 

Gale  (synonym  of  Ictis),  9. 

Ictis,  subgenus,  9. 

list  of  species,  10. 
Mustela  braMiensit,  26. 
cicognani,  10. 
enninea,  9. 
erminea,  11. 
frenata,  26. 
longicauda,  19. 
richardsoni,  11. 
vulgaris,  9. 
vulgaris,  10. 
xanthogenys,  25. 
Putorius,  genus,  7. 

key  to  subgenera,  7. 
list  of  species  with  type  localities,  10. 
subgenus,  7. 

table  of  cranial  measurements,  33. 
Putorius   affinis,  31-32. 

alaseensis,  12-13. 
alleni,  24. 
arcticus.  15-16. 
arizonensis,  22-24. 


Putorius  boccamela,  9. 

cicognani,  10-11. 
erminea,  15, 16. 
erminea,  16. 
eversmanni,  8. 
frenatus,  26-28. 
goldmanni,  28-29. 
kadiacensis,  16. 
leucoparia,  29. 
longicauda,  19-21. 
nigripes,  7-9. 
noveboracensis,  16-18. 
oregonensis,  25-26. 
peninsula,  19. 
pusillut,  14. 
putorius,  8. 
richardsoni,  11-12. 
rixosus,  14-15. 
saturatue,  21-22. 
spadix,  21. 
streatori,  13-14. 
tropicalis,  30-31. 
vulgaris,  10. 
Washington!,  18-19. 
xanthogenys,  25. 


PLATE  I. 

FIG.  1.  Putorius  nigripts,  $  ad.,  Trego  County,  Kans. 
(No.  4143,  Merriam  coll.) 

1.  Upper  side  of  skull, 
la.  Under  side  of  skull. 
Ife.  Side  view  of  skull. 

2.  Putorius  putorius,  $  ad.,  Brunswick,  Germany. 
(No.  4661,  Merriam  coll.) 

2.  Upper  side  of  skull. 
2a.  Under  side  of  skull 


North  American  Fauna,  No.  11. 


PLATE  I. 


1.  Putorius  nigripes  <$  ad.    Trego  County, 

2.  Putorius  putorius  d"  ad.    Bnmswick.  Germany. 


PLATE  II. 

FIG.      1.  Putorius  arcticus.     Point  Barrow,  Alaska  (type). 

$  ad.,  No,  23010,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus. 
2.  Putorius  ailascensis.     Juneau,  Alaska  (type). 

$  ad.,  No.  74423,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric.  colL 
3  and  4.  Putorius  cicognani. 

3.  $  ad.,  Bucksport,  Me.,  No.  4247,  Bangs  coll. 

4.  $  ad.,  Mount  Forest,  Ontario,  No.  789,  Bangs  coll. 
5  and  6.  Putorius  streatori.    Mount  Vernon,  Skagit  Valley,  Wash. 

5.  $  ad.,  No.  76646,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric.  coll.  (type). 

6.  2  ad.,  No.  76623,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric.  coll. 
7.  Putorius  rixosus.     Osier,  Saskatchewan. 

$  ad.,  No.  642,  Bangs  coll.  (type). 


North  American  Fauna,  No.  11. 


PLATE  II. 


is?4* 


1.  Putorius  arcticus. 

2.  P.  alascensis. 


3,4.  P.  cicognani. 
5,  6.  P.  streatori. 


PLATE   III. 

FIGS.  1  and  2.  Putorius  frenatus. 

1.  $  ad.,  Tlalpam,  Mexico,  No.  50826,  U.   S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept. 

Agric.  coll. 

2.  9  ad.,  Cofre  de  Perote,  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico,  No.  54278,  U.  S. 

Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric.  coll. 
3  and  4.  Putorius  longicauda.     Carlton  House,  Saskatchewan  (type  locality). 

3.  $  ad.,  No.  73183,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric.  coll. 

4.  9  ad.,  No.  75483,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric.  coll. 
5  and  6.  Putorius  tropicalis.    Jico,  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico. 

5.  $  ad.,  No.  54994,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric.  coll.  (type). 

6.  9  ad.,  No.  54993,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric.  coll. 
40 


North  American  Fauna,  No.  11. 


PLATE  III. 


2.  Putorius  frenatuc.  3,  4.  P.  longicauda.  5,  6.  P.  tropicahs. 


PLATE  IV. 

FIGS.  1  and  2.  Putorius  noreboracensis.     Adirondacks,  New  York. 

1.  j?  ad.,  No.  3843,  Merriam  coll. 

2.  9  ad.,  No.  5598,  Merriam  coll. 

3  and  4.  Puiorius  ivashingtoni.     Trout  Lake,  Washington. 

3.  $  ad.,  No.  76322,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Dept.  Agric.  coll.  (type). 

4.  5  ad.  No.  67321,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mua.,  Dept.  Agric.  coll. 
•5.  Putorius  peninsula'.     Tarpon  Springs,  Fla. 

$  ad.,  No.  2379.,  Rhoads  coll. 
42 


North  American  Fauna,  No 


PLATE  IV. 


1,  2.  Puturius  noveboracensis.  3,  4.  P.  washingtoni.  u,  P,  jjeninsuli. 


PLATE  V. 

FIG.  1.  Putorius  longicaitda  (Bonap.). 

1.  $  ad.,  Carltoii  House,  Saskatchewan,  No.  73183,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mns., 

Dept.  Agric.  coll. 

la.    9  ad.,  Carlton  House,  Saskatchewan,  No.  75483,  U.  S.  Nat.Mus., 
Dept.  Agric.  coll. 

2.  Putorius  cicognani  (Bouap.). 

2.  <?,  Bucksport,  Me.  No.  4247,  Bangs  coll. 

2a.    9 ,  Mount  Forest,  Ontario  No.  789,  Bangs  coll. 

3.  Putorius  noveboracensis  De  Kay. 

3.  $  ad.,  Adirondack*,  New  York  No.  3843,  Merriam  coll. 
3a.   9  ad.,  Adirondacks,  New  York  No.  5598,  Merriain  coll. 

4.  Putorius  rixosux  nob. 

9  ad.  (type),  Osier,  Saskatchewan,  No.  642,  Bangs  coll. 

5.  Putorius  peninttida;  Khoads. 

9  old,  Tarpon  Springs,  Fla.  No.  2379,  Khoads  coll. 

6.  Putorius  aiclicus  sp.  nov. 

6.     <?,  St.  Michaels,  Alaska  No.  36243,  I*.  S.  Nat.  Mus. 
6a.    2,  St.  Michaels,  Alaska  No.  36246,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus. 
44 


North  American  Fauna,  No.  1 


PLATE  V. 


Date  Due 


*» 


nci 


1  6  1977 


2  3  1977 


iSE 


RECOAL 

-sfM- 


W 


CAT.   NO.   24    161 


3  1970  00525  6265 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

UBHBr 

AA    000  671  274    9 


